Arsenal are interested in Valencia youngster Yarek Gariorowksi and have been trailing him for some time, with Brexit curtailing a previous plan to move for him.
That’s according to AS, who say the youngster is ‘ahead of his time’ and his performances on the pitch have earned him the attention of Arsenal.
The newspaper explains that the young defender has been earning rave reviews and did again this week when he bagged a hattrick for Spain’s U19s in a win over Moldova on Wednesday.
That took him to five goals in 16 games for his country, a ‘stellar performance’ that came after he appeared in Valencia’s defeat at Real Madrid.
He’s a talent that everyone is keeping an eye on, particularly in Europe, where scouts have had him on their list ‘for a long time’, specifically Arsenal.
They’ve been watching him for a while as he’s a kid ahead of his time, regularly playing in age groups beyond his years and ‘burning stages’ in the Valencia Academy.
Red Bull Salzburg already wanted to sign him in the past while it is a rare day when a scout from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus or Borussia Dortmund isn’t in attendance keeping an eye on him.
Arsenal are always among them, and they would have signed him ‘a long time ago’ if it had not been for the ‘bureaucratic impediments of Brexit.’
AS explain that English clubs cannot sign players under 18-years-old since Brexit, nor can they sign more than three players per season under the age of 21. Yarek has been 18 since January and Arsenal are ‘closely monitoring his arrival in the elite’ with Valencia.
The youngster has a contract with Valencia until 2025 and the Spanish club have an option to extend that by another two years if they comply with a series of federative, sporting and economic requirements. His release clause, at this point in his development, is worth €20m.
Whether Arsenal are ready to pay that for him, negotiate a lower fee or simply wait isn’t mentioned but their interest is there nonetheless and has been for some time.
