Arsenal are in negotiations with Paris Saint Germain about a deal to sign France international left-back Layvin Kurzawa, according to David Ornstein in The Athletic (£).
The 27-year-old is available on a free in the summer, however, with Kieran Tierney out until mid-March and Sead Kolasinac struggling with niggly injuries, Mikel Arteta has made finding cover at left-back a priority for this month.
Kurzawa, who has 12 caps to his name but wasn’t part of the World Cup-winning squad, has featured 14 times for the Ligue 1 champions this season but is very much second fiddle to Juan Bernat.
As a result, he knows his future lies elsewhere and he’s happy to make the jump now rather than hold out for a bigger payday further down the line; somewhat surprising, but there we go.
Kurzawa moved to the Parc des Princes from Monaco in August 2015 and has since won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue three times apiece.
As Ornstein writes in his report, given our big-money outlay on Kieran Tierney in the summer any January recruitment at left-back would obviously cast a shadow over the long-term future of Sead Kolasinac.
In his press conference yesterday, Mikel Arteta was asked about his transfer plans and specifically about potential outgoings, including a move for Shkodran Mustafi. In his reply, he hinted where his priorities lie.
“Can we afford [ to lose a centre-back]?” Arteta said. “The ideal scenario is no. If it happens, we will have to invent something. We are already playing with full-backs that are not full-backs.
“They are wingers or central midfielders and could we afford to lose full-backs? No, but we don’t have any full-backs.”
Ornstein believes further January recruitment will likely be done via the loan market or sniffing out other players available on the cheap.
Interesting, @GFFN report that, “The player recently joined up with agent Kia Joorabchian, who, since Raul Sanllehi’s rise within the club, has largely taken control of transfer dealings (behind the appointment of Edu as Technical Director, signing of David Luiz etc.).”
In light of that news, Athletic subscribers might be well advised to have a read of this piece by James from a few weeks back.
Get him in, we need a left back atm.
Isn’t Kurzawa very injury prone?
Then hes our man for sure
A zero on the poo meter by virtue of this alone.
He is. And this reminds me of what we did last year, at this time. Acquire and injury prone player we did not need anyway, who contributed next to nothing and drew a hefty wage for sitting on the treatment table, for the second half of the season.
We can and must do better.
Let’s be honest, he’s probably the best quality left back that we can get in the January window.
Problem is that Kolasinac is on very high wages as we didn’t pay a transfer fee for him. If Tierney is back and fully fit, I’d think that he’s our number one and then we could have two highly paid players sitting on the bench or even the stands week in/ week out. I’d only bring someone in on a permanent deal if we already have an agreement in place with a club about a move for Kolasinac in the summer. Otherwise I’d try to bring someone in on a 5 months loan and rather invest that money in a… Read more »
2 years later: “There’s so much deadwood at this club, Kurzawa needs to go”
In arteta we trust
He’s been a disaster for PSG. He’s been unfit pretty much the entire time he’s been there.
It will not be the same playing players in their natural positions!
It might just improve the team though…
Is this a permanent deal? If so, he’s not exactly a back up player, he’s a good left back. Does this mean Kolasinac is away. It would be a shame, he’s done quite well recently.
It would definitely signal the end for Sead.
Arteta seems to favour 4-2-3-1 therefore rendering Kolasinac to play as an out & out Left back which isn’t his strong suit.
Maybe they will even sell him before the window shuts.
Better not to sell him til Tierney’s back.
He is worse at defending than Kolasinac. Kurzawa is a panic buy and nothing else.
Olive, would he a make a great midfielder in the Fabinho role ? Looks to have all the tools from a vid I saw
…can’t afford to lose Kolasinac. He IS the only fullback on the left. Tierney is injured, Saka is not a lBack. People still seem too daft to get it. We need fullbacks (2 options) with Tierney out. If Kurzawa comes in, we may likely re-role Kolasinac further forward next season (or he may be poached). Its not a guarantee Kurzawa will do any better than Kolasinac either (and frankly the Bosnian has done VERY well recently, the reason why we are more effective in attack). But if Kurzawa comes in possibly a loan with option to buy is better. If… Read more »
He is on a free in the summer. Why would we want an option to buy loan?
Lol, this club is the ideal mark. If we were stupid enough to sign Silvestre or let Ramsey go for free, don’t rule us out to buy a free player.
I thought “lBack” was a bit lazy Sants?
He’s trying to shorten down his posts, let’s be supportive. This is good.
I like Kolasinac but we need to move the squad forward – he has been consistently inconsistent since joining and still has some transfer value, so if we can do this and then cash in during the summer then fair play. I think the time has come where we need to be a bit more ruthless and act in the best interests of the club as opposed to looking after players who aren’t good enough or don’t give us enough.
You won’t get a better backup than Kolasinac is. Also Tierney has done absolutely nothing for Arsenal to be considered as a definite first choice left back.
James Milner
There could still be a place in Kolasinac in the squad until Tierney has proven his fitness long term and it would be up to Kola to prove himself when he gets a chance.
Just to clear it all up for the people here who don’t understand the situation regarding Kolasinac possibly leaving; it’s nothing to do with us wanting him gone. He (and more desperately, his wife) allegedly want out of London after the attack last summer.
A lot of the Twitter folk knocking this move, but I think it’s a solid one. Sure, he hasn’t lived up to the hype. But, get him in on a free (assuming the wages aren’t insane) and he is solid backup to a banged up left back room. Then, in the summer, we can sell Kolasinac for 20-30 million and re-invest in areas we need real help while utilizing Kurzawa as our main backup to Tierney going forward. I see this as a shrewd piece of business. He’s not coming in to be the next Marcelo or Alaba for goodness… Read more »
A video got me rationally excited, he could be the next Fabinho or Fernandinho.
https://youtu.be/YyPtBBtUWTc
Fortunately enough, the chances of what I think happening or not do not depend on the upvotes nor otherwise
He looks great in that video but that was 2 years ago.
That much for Kola in the summer would be a really good piece of business since we had no investment to Schalke.
Please 20-30 for kola? No way we will get that much. His wages alone are very high because we got him on a free in the first place. Any club wants him will have to come close to that plus a transfer fee?
If he isn’t good enough for arsenal he isn’t going to be good enough for any clubs that have money to spend on an expensive LB.
Kurzawa as a primary backup? Why would he come here as a backup? When he would have some decent options as a starter at other clubs?
Several things here, Cali. I would imagine Kolasinac’s value has increased since he has been playing much better under Arteta, especially when you consider a modern, inflated market. Transfermarkt, for example, places his value right above €20m. It’s feasible for that to increase with continued strong performances. I admit it’s also feasible his form will drop again along with his value. On the topic of Kurzawa accepting a backup role – let’s be honest here, he isn’t the same footballer he was at Monaco. He looks to have regressed a bit and is nowhere near the starting lineup as he… Read more »
His performances increased under Frieddie. He has been in good form since the day Emery left.
Unlikely…unless PSg are adding a LBack.
He’s the back up to Bernat. Why would they let him go?
Because he will go for free in the summer!
Well, they are negotiating, so not that unlikely.
Should hv kept Nacho… Least for a season more. I miss tt guy. Always gave his best.
Aye should’ve moved Sead on and kept Monreal.
Thought that one was not in our best interest. Cover at CB and LB, of course. But I guess when you are “austere”, you make those kind of short term decisions.
Nacho was 33 or 34 when he left and was showing his age. Good player for us in his time but it’s over.
The Ornacle has spoken, sign the boy up
Great business if we can get him cheap, and move Sead for about 20-25
Thing with this is I can understand the thinking, seems kola is gone in the summer so we shift out his big wages and getter a cheaper option as back up for Tierney. However this is guy is just not very good and his injury record is absolutely atrocious, also he’s going to leave PSG where he’s 2nd choice to come and be 2nd choice at Arsenal? Hope I’m wrong and this works out but I’m very sceptical.
Hes not getting a new deal cause hes not good enough to be their back up left back. Honestly terrible tramsfer if it does happen would rather have a cheap young championshio left back then this.
Spot on.
Could a reason for his wanting a move now, rather than a bigger money move in the summer be that he is still hoping to make the France Euro squad?
Theoretically if he comes our way, he could be playing out of his skin to get a Euro nod. Can only be a positive for us.
I’ve read elsewhere that Diego Godin is available for at least a loan deal until the end of season. We couldn’t find better CD than him. Worth a shot too.
Didn’t he just move to Italy this summer?
He found himself on the bench at Inter because of Bastoni. Surprisingly they are even ready to sell him, some italian journals write.
Maybe he is unhappy and Inter spends a lot recently, so financial balance can be a factor.
If true…
Playing for Conte at Inter.
The player we should look at with PSG is Abdou Diallo.
We scouted him before and he can cover both Lback and Cback.
Perhaps PSG want to push him into first team set up in which case Kurzawa becomes available but Diallo has good versatility and can even cover at DM.
Why would they get rid of diallo when they see him as the future? They got him for a reason. He’s legit a good young versatile player that would cost too much for what arsenal want to spend.
Signing a player in January who recently underwent surgery for a spinal injury… sounds familiar ?
Guys it’s Kim Kallstrom ?
No shit?
I shit you not too
Mike Tyson broken back interview…classic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP_0BhCw2rg
Kurzawa has reportedly just changed agent to Kia Joorabchian.
Looks like we’re no longer scouting players, we’re just having clients of big agents pushed into our path.
Not a good start from Edu.
We should be hunting down dynamic, young and hungry players, but a horrible pattern seems to be emerging with regards to our recruitment.
The Kia Joorabchian who apparently helped Edu get his job at Arsenal? Well I never.
To get a PSG fan or fans perspective on this would be nice. But it seems Kurzawa is their Mustafi. I should be happy that we are getting a player from PSG but then i get reminded of Serge Aurier thanks to him Spurs are even more shit. But never seen this guy play before so can’t have a judgement. But Tierney is a great LB so i would hope its scouting not agent games that would make us sign him. Best option would be to loan him, see if he works out or not.
Tierney a great LB?
Aurier makes mistakes defending, but overall there is a serious argument that he has been their best player other than Alderweireld recently.
Fuck it! He also brought Luiz to the club. I don’t like at all. No plan, just opportunism.
But apart from than Rich is everything alright at home? 🙂
Most of the matches I have seen him have been for France, where he has not looked out of place at all. Very skillful, seems very hard-working. His lack of caps is mostly because of France’s embarrassment of riches at the position (Lucas Hernandez and Benjamin Mendy, among others). So, yes, certainly on a free and while we are without Tierney and maybe Kolasinac. I would add that we have seen recently how good a player Kolasinac can be, and how his supposed defensive frailties can be very much mitigated when the team play with a structure that insures that… Read more »
Why does everyone keep saying he’s free, no, he’s free in the summer, hence why we can make a cut price offer now, probs under 10 mil, not free.
You need to calculate player and agent fee too which is higher now when you don’t need to pay transfer fee (we are negotating to take him for free apparently). The whole transfer will cost us around 20-30 millions (with wages).
Pretty sure when we signed Kolasinac, he was able to play DM. Worth a try, I quite like him, only player we have with any physical presence.
He can’t pass
haha that is a scary thought.
If he’s willing to move now, at the expense of missing out on bigger wages in a summer move, that’s a good sign
Another injury prone left back is definitely what this squad lacks…
This roster has been missing a Mathieu Debuchy type piece…
Love Kolasinac. He is still the main guy imo.
Facts. People talking about selling him, seriously they forget about all the others that deserve to be moved first. Kola’s playing quite well and unless Arteta sees otherwise when both will eventually be fit, I’d choose Kola over Tierney. He’s a beast and his passing has improved a lot.. I guess everyone regressed more or less under Emery
Believe it when I see it. Doesn’t seem like a priority to me
IMO Kolasinac is a bit underrated, in fact he’s arguably the second best left back in the top 6 behind Robertson. Seeing as he doesn’t have a long term injury I’m surprised that we’re prioritising a left back when centre back is such a larger and more obvious concern.
kolašinac isn’t in the top 6. Arsenal are 10th.
You deserve some recognition for the diacritical mark. Computers! Jeez!
Anyone noticed that Mikel is calling Maitland-Niles a midfielder. It’s a lone drum but I still think AMN will make an outstanding midfielder. I’m hoping that’s what M means…
Yep and you can see it in the way he’s been playing, especially pushing inside as a false dm when we push up in possession, I think Arteta must have told him he wants him to play cm eventually. After all that’s what wenger always said when they were both playing for him.
Yeah, that’s our style…broke a$$ club always looking for cheap players.
I know many people are saying we already have two injury prone left backs so why get another one?? Well, if you have three injury prone left backs instead of two, the chances of one being fit increases quite a lot? 🙂 Coat on…
NB. This wouldn’t work if you applied it to all positions within the team due to squad number rules but I’m sure the hierarchy know that. 🙂
So we need a second fiddle left back for 6 months. Instead we get an injury prone player with questionable attitude on what will probably be a 3 or 4 year contract with high wages. We already have two decent left backs and from the information around about Kurzawa, he is unlikely to be an improvement on either. This is the same low quality, over-valued, short-sighted signing that has plagued Arsenal for years. It seems that the modus operandi these days is wheeler dealer Sanllehi waving his checkbook at any offload his dodgy agent pals solicit him with.
Tells a lot about peoples footballing knowledge here when they are excited by this cunt of a player. Also he is terrible. On level of Mustafi/Xhaka clownship. Awful player that will be old, overpaid the moment we sign him. His resell value drops to 0 the moment the pens hits the paper aswell. No signig is better than a terrible signing.
https://psgworldnation.com/2019/03/24/layvin-kurzawa-i-made-youthful-mistakes-en-fr/
That is just not fair, especially when he has said himself that he is NOT a little cunt.
Kurzawa…the new ashley cole… remember that guys
He even scores a few goals, which is handy with the midfield not looking likely?
Who is Kurzawa and more importsntly who gives a fuck?
Wenger wanted Kurzawa about 4 or 5 seasons ago. Monaco told us he wasn’t for sale. And then they sold him.
Yep, tonnes of ability maybe a change is just what the guy needs, for under 10 mil I say it’s worth the risk, how much was Andre Santos? Eeek
Kurzawa can also play LW, so not a bad signing to make, he’s brilliant going forward. Not sure he’s gon a be any better defensively than Saed, possibly a worse defender.
And a worse attacker. For real, fans in Paris would pay themselves to watch him leave the club!
I think its a contingency plan should Kolasinac continue to struggle for fitness. Ditto Bellerin bc if the Spaniard is available, it will free up AMN to cover left side.
We need to fill other priorities but this situation at fullback could get worse and we need to have a contingency. 6m isn’t much albeit we may end up with another Debuchy if we aren’t careful paying wages for a player barely used for several seasons.
What A Bad Choice… ? This guy has thrown his career in the cabinet living the night life in Paris. No work ethic, no dedication to his job, mainly interested by everything football brings to him except football… His agent is brilliant, how come this guy can still land a contract at Arsenal?!? Can’t defend, can’t cross, but has a lot of swag. That’s the guy. Really, at Monaco, he was a huge prospect. His big transfer lost him.
Worry is Kolasinac is on and off. Saka still too young and not in his position. I guess if price is low enough (rumour 6m) not too much considering risk without fullbacks. AMN can role to left side should Bellerin be fit but that has also taken longer than usual. Its certainly contingency plan bc we also have pressing needs at Cback (for the longest time) and at CM. I’m not too sure about Kurzawa myself so share your sentiments but may be a case of slight desperation on our part at this point. Arteta knows we cannot afford to… Read more »
I would rather see a loan deal than a permanent signing. Kurzawa is simply not good enough for matching Premier League level.
Clearly, Edu has been ineffective when being the sporting director.
Wijnaldum and Robertson were both relegated at Hull, the grass don’t always look greener. The most successful leaders find gems and polish them. And for anybody to get to work is just about finding his pressure point, his motivation and pushing on it. But this is above half of y’all’s heads at least
Wijnaldum played for Newcastle, but yes, good point.
Maybe it’s a guy searching for direction at the perfect age and Mikel recognized that
And a guy who can do the most important thing Pep, Klopp and I assume Mikel want from players; beat a man with the ball. Your leader is important guys, Arsenal fans should know by now that an unhealthy culture can make every member of the family look bad. He needs the right motivation and in my view, he’s got it all.
https://youtu.be/_PwpdV82F3A I loved this video of an extremely smart guy. He talks about almost subtly reminding the players about being Worldclass or something (saw the vid a day ago). When someone they respect makes it a personal challenge why they should be motivated, a guy will have a lot to think about and try his best to jump on board. And since football is about keeping the ball from the other team and scoring goals, with Kurzawas ability to dribble easily and run and with a height (6ft) at 27 years about to be thrust into Mikels strong-nurturing arms, my… Read more »
I’ve never watched this guy play so can’t really comment on him. However, this season has reminded me of the 94/95 season where we eventually finished 12th. In the January/February period we signed Glenn Helder, Chris Kiwomya and John Harston. 3 signings made to keep us in the Premier League.
The names we are being linked to remind me of those 3. None of them lasted too long into the Wenger era.
94/95 was a 1st season with a new kit supplier as well with Nike.
Yes agree, could be a case of throw whatever is available for a reasonable price at the problem as possible bc if we don’t get close to CL, we will be in very difficult situation in the summer.
Looks like some heat on this.
Six month to end of contract.
Worry with Kolasinac struggling with injury, Saka young and not really his position, Tierney out.
6m price, should be a no brainer.
BUT we also have issues in CM and Cback.
Curiously Kurzawa apparently someone Emery wanted some time back.
Ashley young looks to have sold for peanuts, a short deal could have been useful
The biggest mistake was letting Nacho go, he could’ve really be of help atm, being able to slot at lb and cb
Kurzawa is free and injury prone.
Another ”Kolasinac type” but what can we ask when having a leech owner?
Our left backs are good. The problem is central defence and midfield.
Loan deal maybe, permanent deal definitely NOT
Could we also get Meunier from them for our right side?
Contract is also expiring and looks like a very good player any time I’ve watched him