Arsenal in talks to sign PSG defender Kurzawa

Posted Friday, January 17, 2020 by Goal.com

The Gunners have seen both Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac suffer injuries and hope to sign the France international for a nominal fee

Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender Layvin Kurzawa, Goal can confirm.

The Gunners are in talks with the Ligue 1 champions over a move for the France international left-back, who has just six months left of his current contract.

Discussions between the two clubs are at an advanced stage, with Arsenal hoping to take advantage of the fact Kurzawa will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season.

The north London club are pushing to get a deal done for a nominal fee for the 27-year-old, who moved to PSG from Monaco in 2015 in a deal worth close to €22 million (£16m/$25m).

Since then he has won three league titles while at Parc des Princes, as well as three Coupes de France and three Coupes de Ligue.

He has fallen down the pecking order in the past 12 months, however, and has also suffered several injury issues which have limited his game time since his move to the French capital.

Kurzawa did start for PSG on Wednesday night, however, as the league leaders claimed a 4-1 win at Monaco. It was his 13th appearance in all competitions this season.

Arsenal - who have limited finances this month - have identified the experienced Kurzawa as good value for money given his current contractual situation, and his arrival would certainly be a boost to Mikel Arteta, who has seen his options limited at left-back due to injuries.

Arsenal in talks to sign PSG defender Kurzawa

Summer signing Kieran Tierney has been ruled out since December with a dislocated shoulder and is not due back for another two months, while Sead Kolasinac is struggling with a thigh problem.

Teenage winger Bukayo Saka is expected to fill in on the left side of the back four on Saturday when Arsenal host Sheffield United in the Premier League.

Speaking about the current injury problems in his defence ahead of that game, Arteta said: “We are 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.

"We have a lot of issues at the back, it can happen between December and January, it is very common. We have to live with it.

"We have to put 11 players out on the pitch on Saturday and I am sure we will. They will try their best, and I will try to select the ones who in my opinion are the best fit for that game.”

Head of football Raul Sanllehi has been leading the talks with PSG for Kurzawa, who has only emerged as a target for Arsenal in recent weeks.

The defender has not been a player who has been regularly scouted by the north London club, but he has recently linked up with agent Kia Joorabchian, who is now playing an increasingly influential role in the transfer business which is being done at the Emirates Stadium.