According to Sky Sports, Arsenal are interested in bringing Brazilian winger Everton Soares to north London from Gremio. The 22-year-old was a key player in the Selecao’s recent Copa America triumph on home soil. He was one of the very few Brazilians who were not already plying their trade in the European game in their squad.

His club are reportedly looking for a fee of around £30.5million for the winger, who is also attracting the interest of Spanish club Atletico Madrid. Everton certainly seems like a more affordable option than Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha.

Arsenal have good attacking options already

Some have claimed that Arsenal are over-reliant on forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, most teams rely on their best attacking players to win them games, it’s just how it works.

Everton looked like an exciting prospect during the Copa America and no doubt he would add something to most teams in European football. However, the big question is why are they chasing a winger when there is such need for a centre-back?

They need a new defence

If Arsenal’s backline had performed to the same standard of the aforementioned Aubameyang and Lacazette, then the Gunners would have finished in the Champions League spots. Instead, a leaky defence cost Unai Emery’s team dearly in the end and they missed out by just one point.

The defensive displays last season were simply woeful at times. However, it has been the same for a good while, as the Gunners have got a soft centre at the heart of their defence. The standard of centre-back joining the club has certainly slipped in recent years.

The fact that club captain and centre-back Laurent Koscielny has gone on strike has definitely not helped their situation. The Frenchman may no longer be a top centre-back, but some would argue that he is the best Arsenal have on their books.

It would not be unfair to say that Arsenal needs a new defence and have done for a long time, so they go and chase after a winger. They have been linked with Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney and St. Etienne defender William Saliba, but the Gunners have struggled to strengthen their weak areas this summer. They are likely to be in trouble if they fail to bring in new additions of the pitch.

Will struggle to finish in the top-four

At this moment in time, Arsenal finishing in the top-four looks highly unlikely. In fact, Emery’s team are sixth favourites to make the Champions League spots, which means the bookies believe they will miss out on the spots in Europe’s elite competition next season.

The presence of the likes of Lacazette and Aubameyang in attack will always give the Gunners a chance of finishing in those lucrative top-four spots. However, their defensive situation remains a worry. Making moves for a wide man, albeit a highly-rated one before signing a defender seems to be a strange move.

Unfortunately, it is indicative of the way Arsenal have performed in the transfer market in recent years, which has been a massive contribution to the Gunners fall out of the league’s top-four in recent years. Arsenal should, by all means, sign Everton, but shouldn’t strengthening their defence be the priority this summer?

Should Arsenal pursue a deal to sign Everton from Gremio?