Arsenal have entered the race to sign highly rated Eintracht Frankfurt left winger Jean-Matteo Bahoya, according to TEAMtalk.
Bahoya progressed through the youth system at Angers in Ligue 1, featuring 32 times for the side. Even though his scoring record was not exceptional, Frankfurt, in their typical recruitment style, considered the winger a good fit for their squad and completed his signing in January 2024.
While his output in front of the goal has cooled recently, he continues to pose a danger whenever selected, and his potential remains visible each time he steps onto the field. It’s no surprise the youngster is attracting strong interest from several top European clubs.
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have entered the race to sign Bahoya as a possible option to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s frontline.
The report adds that the Gunners boss is a long-term admirer of the France U21 star’s profile and views him as the perfect successor to Bukayo Saka on the right wing and also a versatile option that can operate across the front three.
Arsenal’s scouts and data team rank the 20-year-old, who has drawn comparisons to Ousmane Dembele in the 99th percentile for expected goals and progressive carries among U21 European players, having watched him on six occasions since September, according to the report.
In a separate report in November, German outlet SPORT1 claimed that Frankfurt’s sporting director, Markus Krösche, has set a £70m valuation on the Frenchman.
Speedster
TEAMtalk has now confirmed this report, stating that the Bundesliga club will be keen on retaining him at Deutsche Bank Park unless interested clubs like Arsenal submit a significant offer.
The Frenchman received acclaim as the fastest footballer to appear in the Bundesliga since the beginning of the 2011–12 season, reaching that landmark during Frankfurt’s matchday-26 meeting with Bochum in the previous campaign.
He registered an exceptional 23.09 mph (37.16 km/h), becoming the first player in the league’s tracked records to surpass both the 23-mph and 37-km/h marks.
In comparison, Bahoya’s highest speed was astonishingly close to Usain Bolt’s average pace of 23.35 mph (37.58 km/h) when the Jamaican set his 100-metre world record at the 2009 World Championships.
After the collapsed transfer pursuit in which Mykhaylo Mudryk moved to Chelsea despite the Gunners spending a lengthy period in discussions, one conclusion stands out: Mikel Arteta has a strong fascination for wingers with immense speed and pace, and Bahoya matches that profile.
