Arsenal have been linked with a top talent coming out of Ligue 1.placeholder image
Arsenal have been linked with a top talent coming out of Ligue 1. | Getty Images
Arsenal have been linked with one of the most highly-rated young stars in France
Arsenal will look to bounce back quickly after Carabao Cup final defeat on Sunday as they target a first Premier League title win in 22 years.
The Gunners are nine points clear of Manchester City in second but will hope that Pep Guardiola and his side’s victory on Sunday will not shift the momentum in the title race, with everything still firmly in Arsenal’s hands.
The north London outfit will look to develop their squad further in the summer transfer window and have been linked with multiple big-name players in recent weeks and months as what could be a huge summer lies ahead. The club might also have to part ways with first-team stars in order to balance the books according to reports.
The Gunners have seen links with a Ligue 1 wonderkid intensify as they target a major rising star on the continent.
Arsenal scouting mission for Lille gem Ayyoub Bouaddi revealed
As per reports by TEAMtalk, Arsenal are doing ‘extensive groundwork’ on the signing of Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi and are ‘ready’ to submit a major bid for the 18-year-old this summer.
The teenage midfielder has reportedly ‘dazzled’ Gunners scouts in recent scouting trips to watch him play and a ‘big-money’ move has been touted if Arsenal or rival suitors continue to increase their interest. Bouaddi is one of the most closely-monitored young players in Europe according to reporting and has been on the Gunners’ radar since before his senior breakthrough at Lille.
The France Under-21 international hit the headlines in 2023 when he made his Lille debut in the Europa Conference League just days after his 16th birthday, and the 2007-born gem has continued to go from strength to strength in amassing 90 first-team appearances for the club.
Reporting continues that Arsenal scouts were present on Sunday to watch Bouaddi in action as Lille won 2-1 against Marseille in Ligue 1, while Liverpool are also reported to have had scouts present at the match and Man City and Chelsea representatives have also been tracking him closely. Capable of playing both at number eight and number six, Bouaddi is under contract at Lille until 2029 and has a market value of around £35m according to Transfermarkt, though his valuation at his current club could be far higher.
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