Arsenal are reportedly stepping up their efforts to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with the Gunners exploring a potential £60m deal for the 18-year-old
Mikel Arteta could make additions to his squad this summer(Image: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)
Arsenal are reportedly ramping up their transfer pursuit of Lille starlet Ayyoub Bouaddi. The Gunners are currently preparing for the upcoming Premier League season, but must first contend with the unpredictability that the summer transfer window inevitably brings.
Mikel Arteta’s squad are already being touted with a list of potential new arrivals at the Emirates, as they look to retain their league crown next campaign.
Bouaddi’s future has been the subject of fevered speculation for quite some time, and fresh reports have emerged claiming Arsenal have set their sights on the 18-year-old midfielder.
According to Sky Sports, the Gunners have been registering their interest in Bouaddi and have been quietly exploring a potential deal to bring the teenager to north London for several months.
However, Paris Saint-Germain are also understood to be competing for Bouaddi’s signature, with the midfielder reportedly favouring a switch to the Parc des Princes.
The report further claims that Arsenal remain confident they can take on PSG in the battle for the midfielder, with Lille believed to be valuing the player at around €70million (£60million).
The Gunners will apparently hold further discussions in a bid to secure Bouaddi’s services following the World Cup.
Arsenal are said to have a strong relationship with Lille president Olivier Letang, which could hand the north London club a crucial edge in any potential deal for Bouaddi.
Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille OSC has been linked with Arsenal(Image: Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
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It remains to be seen which signings Arsenal will complete this summer, with a number of players already on the Gunners’ radar.
The report also suggests that Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali continues to be a target for Arsenal this summer.
The forward department appears to be the area generating the most transfer speculation so far, with Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi and Aston Villa playmaker Morgan Rogers both mentioned as potential arrivals at the Emirates.
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Further reports surfaced on Friday indicating that Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis has emerged as a player of interest to Arsenal ahead of the summer window.
The Greece international impressed during his time in Belgium, netting 43 goals across all competitions, while also finding the back of the net on 23 occasions during his only season at Fortuna Dusseldorf.
However, the Athletic report that any potential pursuit of Tzolis would not hinder Arsenal’s ambitions of signing Rogers from Villa this summer.
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