Arsenal have reportedly intensified their interest in Basel’s defender Eray Comert, who has been on the Gunners radar since last summer. His signing will be a bargain addition to Mikel Arteta’s backline, whose worth is believed to be around £2 million this summer.
Cömert was born in Switzerland but of Turkish descent. He has played in various international games for the Swiss U-15, U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-21.
He made his debut for Swiss U-18 youth team against the Danish U-19 in September 2015.
Four years after, he got his first senior call-up to play for Switzerland national team on 18 November 2019 in an Euro 2020 qualifier against Gibraltar.
Cömert began his youth football with local side Concordia before moving to Basel at the age of eleven in 2009 and began to play in their youth system.
After progressing wonderfully in their youth rank, he was rewarded with a first team inclusion in 2016 before earning his debut on 10 February 2016 during an away win against Zürich.
He had a relatively successful loan spells at Lugano and FC Sion, where he made incredible impact and gained a lot of first team experience before he established himself as a regular at St Jakob’s Park in 2018/19 season. Since his evidently breakthrough season in 2018/2019, the 22-year-old Swiss international has racked up 78 appearances for Basel.
This season, Basel have impressively kept 14 clean sheets in 35 games and Comert has undoubtedly played a vital role to achieve such impressive stats.
The Mail reported months ago that Arsenal had contacted Comert’s entourages in Switzerland to bring him to the Emirates. Though the deal didn’t materialise back then but Arsenal are now hoping they can get their long-term target this summer.
Comert obviously meets the criteria of a ball-playing centre-back, that is comfortable with the ball at his feet and likes to play out from the back, which suits Mikel Arteta’s system.
Comert has enough speed, which allows him to time his challenges in the channels and even occasionally take advantage of an opening ahead of him, hereby, making darting run forward before retreating to fill his position at the back.
Standing at 6ft with a strong physical presence, Comert doesn’t shy away from aerial duels coupled with his pace would surely help him to integrate quickly in the Premier league which would in turn quicken his adaptation at Arsenal.
With limited quality options in Arsenal’s defense, leaving the manager Mikel Arteta with just David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis as primary options in the centre back position, Comert’s signing would definitely save Arsenal some cash and also provide quality back up at a bargain fee.
WATCH: Eray Cömert – Welcome To Arsenal ?
