Arsenal have been offered a boost in their potential pursuit of Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso.
What’s the Word?
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Frenchman is set to leave the Bundesliga outfit this summer. He tweeted:
“Official. Corentin Tolisso leaves FC Bayern on a free transfer, there’s no agreement to extend the contract and both parties decided to part ways immediately. Tolisso will be available as free agent this summer.”
The Gunners have been touted as one of the potential destinations for the 27-year-old, with 90min listing the Premier League outfit as an option along with Manchester United.
Installing a winning mindset at the Emirates Stadium
With Mikel Arteta building a youthful squad at the Emirates Stadium, it is important to also have players who have experience of winning trophies to provide a competitive mindset to a team that have been starved of trophies in recent years, picking up just one piece of major silverware in the past five years – the FA Cup in 2020.
And bringing in a trophy magnet such as Tolisso would be ideal for setting a standard at the club, as he has already won the UEFA Champions League and five Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, as well as the World Cup and the Nations League with France.
Even though his game time has been limited due to being part of squads with so many high profile star names, that should not deter the North Londoners, as he has shown his capability and reliability to his side, with his former boss praising the midfielder for his attitude when he has been given a consistent run in the team. He said:
“You can tell in training that a load has fallen from him, that’s enormously important for him, because then he has a certain looseness. Then he can play with his very own class, which gives him more self-confidence. He is very strong. He has this quality, good finishes from the second row, but also to go into the box.”
With this in mind, if he is given assurances that he will play regularly, which he in all likelihood would at Arsenal, he can flourish.
At his very best, he has proven himself to be an influential figure in the middle of the park, drawing comparisons with Toni Kroos from former France international Jean-Pierre Papin. Singing the Tarare native’s praises, Papin went on to say:
“Tolisso is a bit like [Toni] Kroos in terms of his style of play. He can defend, he can attack and he can play an important role in midfield. He has great technique, is dangerous in front of goal and can also make goals”.
The £115k-per-week maestro’s capability to get forward and contribute with goal contributions, scoring 21 goals and registering 15 assists during his time at the Allianz Arena, will also be beneficial to Arteta’s side, who have struggled for goals this season, particularly from their deeper midfielders, Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who registered just three goals between them in all competitions.
Tolisso’s all rounded nature to his game would make him a great addition for the Spanish manager to have at his disposal, and if the World Cup winner can install some winning mentality to the squad, it could help the club’s chances in once again being competitive for the top trophies.
And in other news, Arsenal have also been linked to another Bayern star…
