Arsenal Join Race To Sign Mexican International: A Massive Coup For The Gunners? | OneFootball

According to Daily Mail, Arsenal are among clubs eyeing a move for Jesus Corona this summer. The FC Porto attacker is tipped to leave the club as his current contract expires at the end of next season. He also has a release clause worth €25 million in his contract that can be activated in the summer putting Arsenal on red alert, although the Gunners might face stiff competition from Fiorentina and Sevilla.

Jesus Corona’s Spell At FC Porto

Jesus Corona is among the longest-serving players at FC Porto at the moment having joined the club in 2015 for a fee of around €10.5 million. He has since notched up 269 competitive appearances for the club, scoring 31 goals while registering a total of 68 assists.

During the early stages of his career, Corona was primarily a winger who loved to provide crosses into the box. Due to the rather traditional nature of his game, as well as the emergence of inverted wingers, however, the Mexican international has transformed into a right wingback.

Corona now typically operates out wide, making overlapping runs in behind the opposition defence. A majority of his appearances this past season have come in the wingback position, although the player also deserves credit for significantly improving his defensive abilities.

In addition to his versatility and skill, the 28-year-old is quite experienced at the highest level of football. He has won 45 caps for his country while securing over 200 combined top-flight appearances during his time in Portugal and Netherlands.

Is Corona A Viable Target For Arsenal?

Arsenal secured the third-best defensive record in the Premier League last season, which is a sign of defensive improvement the club has had under Mikel Arteta. However, in order to establish themselves as a top team, the Gunners need to add versatile players into the ranks – players who are more suited to the coach’s tactics.

Jesus Corona fits the bill ideally due to his attacking qualities and the ability to operate as a wing-back. The Mexican international can be an ideal replacement for Hector Bellerin and perhaps an upgrade over Cedric Soares in the right wing-back position.

The FC Porto attacker can consistently provide those overlapping runs out wide for Arsenal, allowing the likes of Bukayo Saka or Nicolas Pepe to drift inside like they usually do. The player also has the experience that could help him settle in quickly at the club, while his speed could make him a scourge on the counter for the opposition.

Corona’s release clause of €25 million is relatively cheap for a player of his calibre. It could indeed be a sensible investment for Arsenal, especially if they can offload Willian and Bellerin to balance out the funds.