More defenders, Mikel, okay? You might have heard some cynical chuckles when Arsenal signed Piero Hincapie and Cristian Mosquera over the summer.
The Gunners strengthened their front line in the last transfer window, but it’s unlikely that a market will end without Mikel Arteta spending money on defence.
Well, thankfully they did. Gabriel Magalhães and Ben White have already missed large parts of the season, while William Saliba, Julian Timber, Riccardo Calafioli and Cristian Mosquera have also missed games due to injury.
Arsenal are now in a difficult position. Christian Norgaard played at centre-back against Club Brugge a few weeks ago, while Declan Rice also played at right-back against Brighton last weekend.
So it’s no surprise that they’re targeting more defenders heading into 2026.
Matches played by Arsenal defenders – 2025/26 | ||
|---|---|---|
player | game | play time |
William Saliba | 19 | 1,535 |
Gabriel | 17 | 1,356 |
julian timber | twenty four | 1,848 |
Clown Hincapie | 12 | 771 |
Riccardo Calafioli | 20 | 1,493 |
Cristian Mosquera | 16 | 823 |
ben white | 12 | 604 |
Miles Lewis-Skelly | 19 | 829 |
Mari Salmon | 1 | 7 |
Arsenal pursue highly-rated defender
Despite the injuries, Arsenal’s backline looks well prepared for the future.
Mosquera broke into the Arsenal team with relative ease and made sure Saliba was not missed too much. The young Spanish defender’s performance in his first start in the 1-0 defeat at Anfield earlier in the season spoke volumes.
Combining his presence with Hincapie’s rise at both centre-back and left-back, it feels like Arteta has many ways to structure his backline.
Adding another defender to the party makes his options even more dreamy.
A report by Fabrizio Romano in the summer suggested that Arsenal were interested in Rennes centre-half Jeremy Jacquet.
Now, according to Caught Offside, interest is still very high. The player is on the club’s shortlist for 2026 and they claim “informal discussions” are taking place regarding his situation.
However, the report states that no bids have been made yet.
Reports in November estimated the jacket’s value to be around £35 million. It’s a hefty price tag for a 20-year-old defender, but it’s definitely worth it. For context, Saliba cost £27m as an 18-year-old and look at him now.
Why is it a good idea to sign a contract with Jacket?
If Arsenal were to add a young French centre-back to their squad, believe it or not, their defense would be even better.
This is a player very similar to Saliba. Like Arsenal’s number two, he made his breakthrough in Ligue 1 as a teenager and has been highly rated ever since.
Although he is yet to be capped at international level, it shouldn’t be long before the young centre-back joins Didier Deschamps’ squad. A move to Arsenal could improve his chances even further.
He has already been described by scout Ben Mattinson as “a centre-back with the potential to be in the top five in the world”, while fellow scout Jacek Kulig hints that he is “an insane centre-back who is still developing”. The reason is simple.
Like Saliba, he plays with an easy attitude. His calmness is incredible for someone so young. As Mattinson further outlines, he “plays with a maturity beyond his years.”
Like Saliba, he also has a long stride, which not only helps him recover quickly and eat up ground quickly, but also means he is particularly strong in ground battles, winning 62% of his ground battles this season and 60% in 2024/25.
Not only is Jaquet content to be difficult to beat in his own box, he also has something of Gabriel about him. According to Mattinson, he has a “dominating” presence from set-pieces, adding to the young defender’s appeal.
There is little that the Rennes sensation, described by Mattinson as “frighteningly talented”, cannot do. There’s a lot to like about the 20-year-old, who comes from the same academy as PSG superstar Desiree Douye.
If Arsenal can sign him for the low price of £35m, they will have Europe’s next top centre-back ready and waiting to replace Saliba.
