Arsenal make offer to sign 22y/o striker as Emery closes-in on 1st summer signing

Managers are working hard trying to strengthen their squads during the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal are linked with Youssef En-Nesyri….

Arsenal are closing-in on the signing of Youssef En-Nesyri after making a formal offer for the £8.8m-rated CD Leganes forward, according to reports in Morocco via Fox Sports Asia.

Gunners boss Unai Emery is gearing-up for a busy summer in the transfer market after finishing fifth in the Premier League and being thrashed 4-1 by Chelsea in the Europa League final last week.

However, missing out on Champions League qualification means the Spanish coach will be working on a tight budget so Arsenal fans can forget about big-money signings arriving at the Emirates this summer.

Widespread reports suggest Emery will have around £45m to spend and with the defence needing a major overhaul and a box-to-box midfielder required to replace Aaron Ramsey, there won’t be much left to strengthen the attack.

It looks like Emery is now scouring the market for a reasonably priced forward and has identified a surprise target in Spain as Fox Sports Asia are citing a report from Moroccan publication Assahifa Al Ousbouia that claims Arsenal are closing-in on the signing of Youssef En-Nesyri.

The 22-year-old plays for Leganes after joining from Malaga last summer and he enjoyed a fine debut season at the club after supplying 11 goals and 2 assists in all competitions to help secure 13th place in the table.

This form has seemingly alerted Arsenal scouts as the report says we’ve now made contact with En-Nesyri’s camp to make a formal offer with Leganes willing to do business if £8.8m [€10m] is put on the table.

Assahifa Al Qusbouia, via Fox Sports, claims Real Betis are one of several other clubs also in for En-Nesyri but they say Arsenal are in pole position to get a deal agreed with the striker seemingly keen to try a new league following three years in Spain.

However, any transfer is going to have to wait as the Moroccan outlet says negotiations have been put on hold as En-Nesyri is currently away with the Moroccan squad preparing to take part in the upcoming African Cup of Nations.

En-Nesyri is mainly deployed as a central striker so he’d provide back-up for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette but he can also play on the wings so he’d give Emery a useful option in the final third.

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He certainly wouldn’t be a marquee signing if Arsenal do end up buying him but we need to accept we won’t be competing at the top end of the market this summer so En-Nesyri is the type of addition we should expect to arrive over the coming weeks.