---
title: "Arsenal: Daniele Rugani ‘not much better’ than Shkodran Mustafi, according to Stewart Robson"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-daniele-rugani-not-much-better-than-shkodran-mustafi-according-to-stewart-robson/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2019-08-08T10:00:59Z"
modified: "2019-08-08T10:00:59Z"
---

# Arsenal: Daniele Rugani ‘not much better’ than Shkodran Mustafi, according to Stewart Robson

**Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson believes reported Gunners target Daniele Rugani would improve the side’s defence, but stopped short of giving a glowing recommendation of the Italian centre-back.**

Rugani won a fourth straight league championship at [Juventus](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniele-rugani/erfolge/spieler/162959), but has struggled to hold down a regular spot at the Serie A champions – never appearing more than [26 times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniele-rugani/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/162959/plus/0?saison=&verein=506&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) in a season since his move from [Empoli](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/daniele-rugani/transfers/spieler/162959) in 2015.

Reports in [Italy](https://www.tuttosport.com/news/calcio/calciomercato/2019/08/07-59762008/juve_rugani_allarsenal_ore_decisive/?a=2) suggest that Arsenal had agreed personal terms with Rugani, but Robson is not totally convinced by the defender – with a positive comparison to Shkodran Mustafi all he could muster.

He told [ESPN FC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GnizlTWRfU&t=450s): “He’s a good player, but he’s not an outstanding centre-half as far as I’m concerned. I’ve seen him a lot when he has played for Juventus. He hasn’t got one outstanding attribute – he’s decent in the air, he’s got okay pace, he can read the game quite well, he can come out with the ball okay – but he’s not got one outstanding feature.

“And that’s why he hasn’t made that many appearances for Juventus, because every time he’s had a chance, he hasn’t quite done enough to replace the likes of \[Leonardo\] Bonucci or \[Giorgio\] Chiellini.

“He’ll be better than \[Shkodran\] Mustafi, but not that much better.”

The stats back up Robson’s evaluation – as amongst his fellow Juventus defenders last season, Rugani conceded 0.73 goals per game (per [FootyStats](https://footystats.org/players/italy/daniele-rugani)), which was only a lower rate than Martin Caceres, while Giorgio Chiellini only allowed [0.54 goals](https://footystats.org/players/italy/giorgio-chiellini) per game – in 15 more appearances.

However, Mustafi – part of an Arsenal defence that shipped [51 goals](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table/2018) in the league alone last season – conceded [1.24 goals](https://footystats.org/players/germany/shkodran-mustafi) per game in 2018/19, almost double that of Rugani.

Therefore, if solidifying the Gunners’ defence is the motive behind recruiting another centre-back at Arsenal, Rugani’s addition may make an improvement – but success in north London may be limited.