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Ibrahima Konate

MikelHadADream

Established Member
Trusted ⭐
This guys a good player. Always thought he looked better than Upamecano when they've both played. Surley though we have to make a way for Saliba to get into the first team.
 

L3T5 PL4Y

Flair Accuser
Just recently had a look at La Liga CBs and Joseph Aidoo from Celta Vigo seems a neat target. Perfect age and an interesting profile going by stats. He's defensively apt, solid in the air and while playing in a more defensive team still alright in terms of passing and progressing the ball. Could be a nice little bargain for maybe 15m and I guess there's ample room for him to still develop in a better and more offensive team.
Don't really know much about Aidoo tbh. I'd go for someone with a higher profile and experience tbh.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
We bought Mari a CB. We bought Saliba a CB. We bought Gabriel a CB and now we are going to buy another CB? Just seems we are doing what we did before buy a collection of CB and in the end instead of having 2/3 top centre backs we will have about 8 middle of the road.
 

truth_hurts

but Holding’s hair transplant was painless
Konate is excellent. He'd make sense if we're persisting with 5 at the back I suppose. He plays centrally with Gabriel and Luiz either side. Knob Holding, Chambers, Mari and Saliba as back up. Kolasinac, Mustafi sold. Luiz moves on in the summer and we sell Holding.

Is Konate not starting at Leipzig?
 

Malky

Established Member
We bought Mari a CB. We bought Saliba a CB. We bought Gabriel a CB and now we are going to buy another CB? Just seems we are doing what we did before buy a collection of CB and in the end instead of having 2/3 top centre backs we will have about 8 middle of the road.
Mari cost £4M. Saliba, despite not getting a chance yet, has massive potential and only 19 (people seem to forget that) and Gabriel looks like he has genuine world class potential, so I don't see what you're getting at?
Konate would be on the same level as Gabriel here.
Gabriel, Saliba and Konate is 3 CB's with top quality potential, it's hardly Mustafi, Chambers and Holding level.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
Wait do people not think we need a right-sided CB? Luiz will be gone next summer most likely, we all know Holding isn't good enough, Gabriel still a way off. We'll definitely need to sign a starting CB. I'm not sure if Konate is the answer, tho he's looked pretty good in recent times for Leipzig, but we'll definitely need to sign someone. Of course we'll need to get rid of a lot of the CB's we've got currently too.
 

14Henry

Looking for receipts 👀
Mari cost £4M. Saliba, despite not getting a chance yet, has massive potential and only 19 (people seem to forget that) and Gabriel looks like he has genuine world class potential, so I don't see what you're getting at?
Konate would be on the same level as Gabriel here.
Gabriel, Saliba and Konate is 3 CB's with top quality potential, it's hardly Mustafi, Chambers and Holding level.

Firstly while I have been hugely impressed with Gabriel it's too early to say he is the left centre back solution for the next 4-5 years. Mustafi first 6 months looked hugely impressive. If he does continue this way we do have that position sorted.

Now we have Mari, Chambers, Holding, Luiz, Mustafi, Sokratis, Saliba. We definately do need to shift those when their contracts run done but what do we want to be left with.

Gabriel 22, Konate 21, Saliba 19. They would be our first choice centre backs. With Mari unproven in the PL and maybe Chambers who's always injured. For me if we are going to throw 40-50m on a CB it needs to be someone who's experienced. Not someone learning on the job. Plus Konate has had his own injury concerns.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
We spent nearly 30m on Saliba, why not make use of that investment before making another CB investment? Also is Konate the right style of CB? Gabriel is long-term LCB, he's a decent passer but his real strength is being an aggressive defender, so you want a really good passer next to him, right? Stylistically Saliba is the perfect partner, he has huge potential on the ball. Konate seems more of a Gabriel-style CB, very aggressive defender, fine passer but not exceptional maybe.

Idk, maybe Konate is just better than Saliba and they're being ruthless, but it seems too early for me to give up on our Saliba investment.

And think of all the other business you need to do. Need a back-up GK, back-up LB, ideally a starting RB, CM and maybe a Laca replacement, plus a CAM depending on the Ødegaard situation. Could argue there are 6 positions of greater urgency than CB.
 

Tir Na Nog

Changes Opinion Every 5 Minutes

Country: Ireland
Hm I mean Konate is really cool, but do we need him?


Well currently our two senior RCB options are an aging Luiz and Holding. And neither seem to have nailed down the position as Arteta keeps swapping them. Going forward we'll definitely need another CB option. Whether Saliba is ready or whether we need to sign one, who knows.

EDIT: Also judging by the reports following up on interest depends on if Luiz leaves which makes sense.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
Well currently our two senior RCB options are an aging Luiz and Holding. And neither seem to have nailed down the position as Arteta keeps swapping them. Going forward we'll definitely need another CB option. Whether Saliba is ready or whether we need to sign one, who knows.

EDIT: Also judging by the reports following up on interest depends on if Luiz leaves which makes sense.

Just feel like a smart club would give Saliba a go, seeing as he has all the tools required to play that position, he just needs time and minutes on the pitch. Konate would be expensive, and frankly he hasn't played much football the last two seasons. He's missed 45 matches through injury in 19-20 and 20-21.

We spent money on Gabriel and Mari last summer, on Luiz and Saliba the summer before that, plus there's Mavro doing well. We've spent enough money on CBs imo, we've accumulated some talent there, just develop it.

Our finances are gonna be so tight this summer what with the pandemic, we'll do well to upgrade in key positions. CB isn't a priority position imo.
 

A_G

Rice Rice Baby 🎼🎵
A-M CL Draft Campeón 🏆
Ornstein has mentioned him in the last few months as well.

Hope it happens so Saliba is free to leave.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
As others have said, the smart thing to do is the give Saliba or even Mavro a chance, we need to be smart with the money we have and how we spend it...we are Arsenal though, so we won't be smart :lol:
 

ClubLevel

Active Member
There's not many defenders in Salibas age bracket that will start at the top level or be at their very best so makes sense to me.
 

Malky

Established Member
As others have said, the smart thing to do is the give Saliba or even Mavro a chance, we need to be smart with the money we have and how we spend it...we are Arsenal though, so we won't be smart :lol:
Still feels like there's more of a chance, if decent offers come in, that the club will sell both Mavro and Saliba and invest that money in Konate.
 
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