Who is Willian Pacho? Arsenal rivalling Liverpool for £51m transfer 'target'
Eintracht Frankfurt defender Willian Pacho has reportedly been shortlisted by Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool. The Gunners continue to be linked with defensive additions with reports suggesting Mikel Arteta is looking to bolster his ranks.
William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães have enjoyed a strong partnership together amid Arsenal's push towards the English top-flight summit. However, their defensive structure has been disrupted and speculation has mounted over their transfer business with alternatives to Oleksandr Zinchenko listed.
Summer signing Jurrien Timber has been sidelined since the opening game of the season after picking up a knee injury. Takehiro Tomiyasu has also suffered from issues of his own but provided a timely boost as he returned to training for the Champions League second leg against FC Porto.
Arsenal have elements of depth with Jakub Kiwior and Ben White capable of filling in at centre-back. In recent weeks, Borussia Monchengladbach youngster Luca Netz has been linked with a move — but who is the latest defensive 'target'? football.london has taken a look.
Willian Pacho, or Willian Joel Pacho Tenorio, is a 22-year-old central defender, who is currently enjoying a positive debut season in the Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt. The centre-back was born in the far north of Ecuador in the town of Quinindé before moving to the capital, Quito, where he turned professional for Independiente del Valle.
Pancho made his debut LigaPro Serie A Primera Etapa side in 2019 as an 18-year-old, where he made 40 appearances for the club. In January 2022, he made the switch to Europe — signing for Belgian side Royal Antwerp on a five-year deal before he became a first-team regular under Holland icon Mark
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