CLUB CHIEF OFFERS UPDATE ON ARSENAL’S HUNT FOR DEFENSIVE TARGET

Arsenal have bolstered their ranks this summer with five new signings, including defensive additions in the form of Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, but the Gunners have been linked with further recruits at the back.

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Freiburg’s Caglar Soyuncu has been heavily touted for a move to the Emirates Stadium to join Unai Emery’s side but the links have gone quiet in recent weeks, suggesting that a move has fallen through.

However, Freiburg’s sporting director Klemens Hartenbach has revealed that the Gunners have never followed up their proposed interest in the 22-year-old Turkey international with an official approach.

Quoted by Bild, he said:
“Arsenal have never approached us. We assume that Soyuncu plays with us next year.”

Arsenal are well stocked defensively with Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi, Laurent Koscielny, Calum Chambers, Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos to choose from as central options, which suggests that outgoing deals would have to take place if Soyuncu was to move to north London.