Why Arsenal Opted For Pepe And Luiz Signing Instead Of A Top Centre-Back

Jamie Carragher believes Arsenal passed on signing a top centre-back this summer because of the lack of options.

After the 2018/19 season, it was made abundantly clear that the Gunners needed defensive reinforcements. While Unai Emery did sign David Luiz, Kieran Tierney and William Saliba, he focused the majority of his funds on acquiring Nicolas Pepe from Saint Etienne, a £72m signing.

“I read something that I found interesting because a lot of people were asking why they have spent £70m on Pepe when they need a centre-back,” Carragher said on The Last Word with Stan Collymore (via Express Sport). “The feeling at Arsenal was that they’ve got a great home record under Emery and their away record is awful.

“You’re thinking they actually need to score more goals away from home and they’re probably thinking, ‘You know what, there’s not a lot sometimes we can do defensively’ and to be fair I don’t know how many great defenders are out there because they’ve got a young kid, French lad (William Saliba) who they think is going to be the real deal and the Luiz thing has just happened.

“There is a dearth of great centre-backs out there so it’s not easy but I think they feel they don’t score enough goals away from home so that’s something that can add to them away from home. So I think they’ve done quite well. Yes, it’s top heavy but they will be exciting to watch.

“I never really had Emery down as that type of manager. He reminds me of Rafa [Benitez]… very studious and always very focused so you would expect his teams to be a bit more organised, not conceding goals left, right and centre. But it looks like that’s what we’re gonna get and they will go for the top four.”