According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have made contact with Bayer Leverkusen over a possible deal for Moussa Diaby after missing out on Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea.
The London giants spent the last few weeks trying to sign Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk but Chelsea tarnished their plans by hijacking the transfer over the weekend.
Arsenal are now looking into alternative targets and Sky Sports claims that the Gunners have made contact with Leverkusen to discuss a potential deal to sign Diaby.
The German heavyweights don’t want to lose their star man at the halfway stage of the season, and the Sun says Leverkusen demanded £75m for Diaby last summer. Given his form this season, they are expected to want at least that figure to sell in January and Sky Sports suggest he could cost up to £88m.
Talent
Arsenal seemed confident of purchasing Mudryk but they did not expect Chelsea to throw a spanner in the works. They are now scrambling for an alternative signing, and Diaby would be a perfect fit as he can play on both flanks.
Sky Sports’ Dan Bardell describes Diaby as an ‘electric player’ who is known for his pace, ball carrying and key passes. The Frenchman is two footed and would provide competition for Martinelli and Saka, so it he’d be a terrific fit for Arsenal.
He has had another productive season with Leverkusen, scoring 8 goals and providing 4 assists from 22 games. The big question mark is whether they can finalise a deal with his club, who don’t want to lose him in the transfer window.
Another tricky part could be the transfer valuation. The London side were only prepared to pay £62 million as a fixed fee for Mudryk with a remaining £27 million in add-ons. They could resort to a similar proposal to secure Diaby’s signature.
Arsenal still have time on their hands to strengthen the squad. Investment this month seems essential if they want to keep their title charge going during the second half of the campaign. The Gunners are eight points clear at the top of the league but things could quickly change.
An injury or two could impact their title challenge. This is why they need more depth within the squad. Diaby would be a good signing for Arsenal but they will have to spend big on him. Brighton & Hove Albion star Leandro Trossard has also been offered to them and could be considered if they want a cheaper option.
