According to The Times [£], Arsenal and Manchester City are both weighing up a summer approach for Burnley defender James Tarkowski.
The 25-year-old Manchester-born centre-back has impressed in 20 appearances for the Clarets this season helping Sean Dyche’s side to nine clean sheets.
The report claims that Burnley will rebuff any approaches made in January but could, as was the case with Michael Keane’s sale to Everton last summer, cash in if a big money is made at the end of the season.
It’s suggested that Tarkowski would likely prefer a return to his home city, however, given Per Mertesacker is set to retire and Laurent Koscielny is wrestling with an ongoing Achilles problem, he’d probably get more game time at the Emirates.
Arsenal fans will recall that it was Tarkowski who conceded the stoppage time penalty when Arsenal beat Burnley last month.
I hope its just paper talk
as we dont need another fucking centre back, we need quality midfielders, and another top striker, then and only then will we get somewhere
We need centre backs as well, just not as urgently as the mythical DM.
Can’t really judge him for giving away that penalty, he was merely the latest player to fall victim to Newton’s Third Law of Arsenal Injury Time Winners at Turf Moor.
In all seriousness, we could do worse. Burnley’s back line have been phenomenal so far this season.
I agree but my only concern would be that arsenal’s defense is based on recovery not parking the bus… It could be another Squillaci – good defender, wrong system. Not seen enough of him TBH
Squillaci was never a good defender in any system.
Some systems (and partners) were just better at masking his flaws.
They have done well due to good coaching
Surely we could do better? He’s ok, but not the quality we should be aiming for.
As a replacement for Per who still has room to improve his game, I don’t think it’s a bad idea.
What would this level of quality that we should be looking for be?
You will need to give him time to cycle through player ratings on FIFA.
That would be someone who can also pass and step up with the ball into midfield, as well as block shots and clearances. At Burnley, a team that concedes the ball to the opposition, playing CB is quite different. It’s not a high line, the midfield and wingers are all tucked in to keep the banks of four.
We despise this, we believe the best football is played with Xhaka as the only protecting player within 30 yards of CBs.
Top top quality
“Exceptional qwaliteeeeeee….”
Whoscored.com yesterday pronounced him the best player outside the top six, and something like the twelfth best player in the league statistically
Pipping Zaha to top spot is the other half of Burnley’s resolute defensive duo. James Tarkowski has gone above and beyond to minimise the impact of Michael Keane’s big-money move to Everton with his WhoScored.com rating (7.40) the 12th best overall in the Premier League this season. No defender has won more WhoScored.com man-of-the-match awards than Tarkowski (4) this term, while the 25-year-old ranks second for aerial duels won (95), shots blocked (28) and clearances (145) in the Premier League this season.
Is he any good?
Yes.
that’s why he plays for burnley lmao
Not every player begins their career at a top club, lmao
The minute I see either Arsenal or Man City in a race to sign someone my heart sinks a bit.
I wonder if defenders playing for Burnley look good because they play very defensive football where all the game is played in front of them? Hmm…
I would take a traffic cone over Per Mertesacker.
So this is pretty good news…
“We are always looking and if we find one or two, we’ll do it. But they have to be …. ….. quality”
since when
Why are people already looking at this like an AW classic bargain basement buy?
Is it just because he’s a part of Burnley and not a top club? Quality can be anywhere, he has been solid under Sean Dyche.
Remember, a bit of a quality twat with a PL medal (Vardy) came to Leicester from non league Fleetwood town.
Don’t write off the lad because he doesn’t come from the Milans, Madrids or Munichs.
A Stalker defender willing to make The Sacrifice.
Pep v arsene. Hmmmm I wonder
I won’t rush out and get his name on my shirt just yet! ?
I wonder if CB signings may be put off from playing under Arsene, since he always seems so focused on coaching the attacking side and gives CB’s so little cover. I wouldn’t think we are the best place for defenders to develop.
Djourou gave an interview a while back saying he struggled because of lack of structure and protection under Arsene.
I saw Chambers and Holding put in assured performances against West Ham this week.
I’d really like to see them given a fair crack before the club signs another center-half.
Sounds like Wenger and chums are getting desperate. ..
Always suspicious of English players with foreign names. I miss Tony Adams
Eh? Tarkowski is a Polish name, yeah, but what exactly are you suspicious of?
Apart from anything else, the name ‘Adam’ is Hebrew. He’s the first bloke in the Bible.
Always suspicious of racist comments. I miss Tony Adams too.
Sounds like you miss Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain. But worry not, we still have Ainsley Maitland-Niles
In other news, he has been banned for 3 matches for violent conduct…
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42411567
We can do with some “violent conduct” in our CB for a while now. We are too nice while defending
Holding did an OK job on Arcuntovic last season though.
I think Holding or Chambers would get in the Burnley side. Seems to me that we should play them more.
Chambers performance against West Ham on Tuesday was about as good as your gonna get from a centre back this season. Don’t recall him making a single mistake.
Even if he’s the best defender in the world, we’d probably turn him to shit, so I don’t care if he signs or not. I don’t care if anyone signs to be honest