Exclusive: Arsenal expert on which of two Dutch talents Gunners are more likely to sign

Arsenal expert Charles Watts has spoken exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column to address some of the recent transfer rumours involving Mikel Arteta’s side.

Jeremie Frimpong and Jorrel Hato are two exciting young Dutch talents who have been linked as targets for the Gunners, but Watts thinks it’s the latter who’s more of a priority for Arteta and co.

Hato has seemingly been on Arsenal’s radar for some time, according to Watts, even if he also concedes that Frimpong could be seen as a tempting option due to his low release clause at Bayer Leverkusen.

Arsenal signed Jurrien Timber from Ajax last summer, so could perhaps try doing business with the Amsterdam club again this year for Hato, who looks ideal for the north Londoners’ needs at the moment.

Hato transfer more likely than Frimpong?

Arsenal have rotated a lot at left-back this season, with Oleksandr Zinchenko falling out of favour, while Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu have both had runs in the side without exactly making that position their own.

Hato can play left-back or centre-back, so could be ideal to come in for that role, with Watts seemingly playing down links with Frimpong by comparison.

“Arsenal might well bolster their defensive options this summer, but if they do I think the new addition will be a left-sided player, rather than someone who can cover at right-back, despite some players in that position also being linked with the club recently,” Watts said.

“Jeremie Frimpong has been linked and he does have a release clause that could make him an attractive proposition to clubs, given the remarkable season he has enjoyed with Leverkusen, but I still think if a Dutchman does arrive at Arsenal this summer, it’s far more likely to be Jorrel Hato from Ajax.

“Arsenal have been working on a potential move for Hato for some time now and even though he has signed a new contract with Ajax recently, I still wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Arsenal firming up their interest in the young defender once the summer window opens. He is well aware of Arsenal’s interest, as are Ajax, so it’s one that is worth watching.

“When you look at Arsenal’s team this season, the left side of the defence has been the one area where Arteta has continued to chop and change. Whether that would have been the case had Jurrien Timber not got injured we’ll never know. He was showing signs of being an excellent left-sided option before the injury, but he came in as a right-back.

“Ben White has been superb once again over on the right as well this season, so Arsenal are very well stocked over there, especially when you factor Takehiro Tomiyasu into the equation as well. So I just don’t see a right-back like Frimpong being a priority this summer.”