Bayer Leverkusen defender has said he is ‘happy’ where he is, despite reports suggesting that he is a transfer target for Arsenal. 

The 24-year-old centre-back is known for his ability to pass the ball out effectively from the back, something that is becoming more and more important in the Premier League.

But, if his words are to be believed, it seems that Tapsoba wants to stay in the Bundesliga rather than join the high-flying Gunners, at least for now.

The Burkina Faso international has plenty of admirers across Europe. For example, Chelsea strongly considered moving for him last summer, before they eventually opted for Wesley Fofana.

Tapsoba has all the attributes you need to become a genuinely top defender. He’s young, technically-gifted, physically strong, an excellent passer and at 6ft 4, he’s also very effective in the air. And, he takes penalties.

Overall, since joining the German club in 2019, he has featured 115 times, scoring four goals.

This season, he has made 19 league outings, scoring once and helping his side to five clean sheets so far.

But, Tapsoba is not the finished article yet, and he admits that improvements must be made regarding his ‘focus.’ But, it would still be a surprise if he’s not playing Champions League football in the near future.

Speaking to BuliNews, when asked about links to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, he said: “That makes me happy, of course.

“It’s something that shows I’m doing a good job, and that I just need to continue.

“But Leverkusen is a big club. My head and heart are fully here right now. And, then, we’ll see what the next step will be. Right now, my favourite club is Leverkusen.”

Tapsoba could cost Arsenal around £60m

Tapsoba caught the eye in particular when playing against Arsenal in the 2019/20 Europa League, while he was still at Portuguese side Vitor Guimaraes.

“My friends used to call me Mertesacker,” Tapsoba adds, highlighting comparisons with the former Arsenal and Germany centre-back.

“When I started playing in the academy, I started to like John Stones. Right now, I’d say my role models are (Virgil) van Dijk and (Kalidou) Koulibaly.”

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano reported in 2021 that Arsenal saw Tapsoba as a ‘perfect addition’ to their back-line. The problem, however, was a hefty price tag of £60m.

Tapsoba still has three years left on his Leverkusen contract and therefore, any interested parties will still have to stump up a big fee.

In response to the speculation, Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes said: “We want to keep him, as he’s a fantastic player.

“He has one incredible quality that is his build-up play. He’s perfect for our playing style. He has a long contract, so there is no need for us to speak about him (leaving).”

READ MORE: Arsenal well ahead of the game as summer bid already lodged for quality Italy midfielder

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