If there is one thing lacking in the armory of Arsenal, it is a solid defense. The English club is reportedly keen on sorting the situation out in time for the January transfer window. The team's target is Willy Boly, currently the Wolves center-back and considered a key component at Molineaux.
The Ivory Coast defender was instrumental when Molineaux ascended to the Premier League, and to think Boly is with the club for only three seasons. According to The Sun, Arsenal will find it hard to recruit Boly as his current is hell-bent on keeping him.
The Wolves have spent £10 million to acquire Boly from FC Porto in 2017, and the investment so far is paying off. The latest proof is Boly's winning goal as the Wolves picked up another victory at Besiktas, and still part of the club's Europa League campaign.
For Arsenal, Boly might prove a hard recruit, but the club sorely needs to plug the hole in its defense, recently caused by the departure of Laurent Koscielny, described as quite reliable and far remove from the replacements the club had acquired last summer.
At best, David Ruiz, who transferred from Chelsea, is deemed erratic and failed to impress so far, The Daily Mirror said in a report. Sokratis is also around for the Gunners, but as things stand now, he is unlikely the long-term solution that Arsenal is searching for.
It has to be Willy Boly, who at the end of the current season will still have a year at Molineaux, Metro said in a related report.
It appears though that while the Wolves would want to keep Boly on the roster, there is a wide opening for Arsenal. If the two clubs can strike a deal, Molineaux will have to give up on the center-back but will surely get the corresponding incentive.
If Arsenal is dead-set on getting Boly, the Wolves stand to earn more than the money they paid for the defender. The likelihood is that the club could double the investment made on Boly, meaning agreeing on a deal with the Gunners is a win-win situation for parties concerned.
Why would Arsenal pay up to £20 million for Boly? The answer lies in how the club is faring to date at the Premier League. The club played in seven matches and allowed opponents 11 goals, indicating that a wide hole exists on Arsenal's defense.
Soon, the North London team will see the return of Calum Chambers and Rob Holding, but their presence will unlikely fill the gap on defense, making it more imperative to get Boly in no matter the cost.
