Arsenal are making ‘very serious efforts’ to sign Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen this summer as they continue their rebuild under Mikel Arteta.
That’s according to SportBILD, who say the German side are not keen on doing a deal for the Frenchman despite the Gunners efforts.
The newspaper explains that the 22-year-old is being ‘courted’ by clubs in England after scoring 16 goals and registering 13 assists in 40 games in all competitions this season.
That’s followed an equally impressive campaign last year in which he managed ten goals and 15 assists in 43 games in total, impressive numbers for a player who won’t turn 23 until July this year.
Those figures have ramped up his asking price, and Leverkusen, who are protected by a contract until 2025 anyway, have put a €100m asking price on their star man.
That’s yet to put off his suitors, including Arsenal, who are making ‘very serious efforts’ to get their man and plan an assault if they reach the Champions League. At that point, the ‘poker will be hot’ for Diaby’s signature.
The player himself is yet to indicate what his choice would be but should he ‘force the transfer’, then Leverkusen will drop their demands and would be ‘willing to talk’ for €75m instead.
Whether Arsenal would be willing to offer such an amount isn’t mentioned, but that’s the figure Leverkusen have set nonetheless.
It all seems to depend on the Gunners getting Champions League football first, which is not a given but very much in their hands at this moment in time.
Perhaps securing that would give them the funds to make moves like this, so expect to hear more on the potential deal, or it dying in the water, based on how their efforts to finish fourth go in the last four games of the season.
