Premier League giants Arsenal are reportedly interested in bolstering the defensive ranks this summer after ceding territory to Manchester City late in their title-contesting campaign.
What's the latest on Josip Sutalo to Arsenal?
According to The Evening Standard, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is pushing technical director Edu to forge a move for Dinamo Zagreb defender Sutalo, who has been touted for a fee of roughly £18m.
A versatile defender, the 23-year-old would bring solid cover across the defensive third, with several Arsenal defenders being linked with a move away from the Emirates this term.
Meanwhile, Italian reporter Lorenzo Lepore has claimed that Fiorentina, Leipzig, Wolfsburg, Fulham and Manchester United are all keeping tabs on the rising star, though the allure of the Arsenal project could be enough to entice the ace into a deal.
Who could Sutalo replace at Arsenal?
Rising through the Zagreb youth ranks to hold a starring role in the first team, Sutalo has swiftly asserted himself as one of his outfit's prized assets and is ostensibly destined for a move to one of Europe's foremost sides in due course.
After making 32 displays for Zagreb's development outfits, Sutalo has gone on to forge 77 outings; this season, he has made 32 appearances for his club, scoring three times and being hailed as a "top talent" by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
As per FBref, the titan ranks among the top 10% of defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons, the top 4% for blocks and the top 19% for tackles per 90, illustrating a growing robustness that will serve him well in the thick of the action for ambitious Arsenal.
As a testament to his rapid rise, Sutalo was chosen for Croatia's World Cup squad last year, making one appearance in the nation's third-place play-off against Morocco – a match they triumphed in and secured bronze – with talent scout Jacek Kulig even dubbing him "highly underrated".
Should Arteta be serious about completing a swoop, the Spanish manager could finally ditch Rob Holding, who has made some questionable performances across the past several months.
In an abysmal showing in the Gunners' embarrassing capitulation against title rivals Manchester City, Goal reporter Charles Watts said Holding was "exposed woefully", and it is no coincidence that Arsenal's decline in form draws parallel to William Saliba's injury and Holding's replacing of him in the starting line-up.
With mounting interest in Sutalo's signature and an increasing number of impressive displays, there is no telling just how far this burgeoning rise could go, but at Arsenal, one of Europe's top teams and notable for the crop of youth talent, he might just find a fruitful path to success.
