Arsenal have been hit with a record asking price as they look to add yet another top midfielder to their crop this summer. The Gunners are coming off an impressive season that saw them win the Premier League title and come within a whisker of the Champions League title.
Mikel Arteta knows his side need to improve a little to catch PSG, who clearly the best team in the world at this stage, but it is a fine balance of not disrupting an already successful team too much.
Arteta is going to want a left-winger, while depth is likely to be added up top and in the middle to anticipate possible exits like Gabriel Jesus or Christian Norgaard.
Bouaddi price tag emerges
Bouaddivia Reuters
One potential option for Arsenal is Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who has emerged as one of the most talented young midfielders in the game. The 18-year-old made 42 appearances across all competitions in the season just gone, and he never looked out of place at senior level.
Bouaddi has even won a call-up to the World Cup with Morocco this summer, and he started their opening game, which was a draw with Brazil. That Morocco team is an impressive one, too.
The combination of Bouaddi's season and the World Cup is likely to cause the perfect storm for Lille, who could cash in this summer. According to TeamTalk, Lille actually want a world-record fee of £60million, which would be the most expensive fee ever paid for an 18-year-old should someone pay it.
Champions League finalists Arsenal and PSG are said to be the most interested clubs, and they are not dissuaded by the price tag.
Bouaddi's rapid rise
Ayyoub Bouaddi in action for Lille vs Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal must carefully consider whether they want to pay £60million for Bouaddi given the depth they have in their squad, and with the depth they already have in midfield given Mikel Merino will be fully fit next season. They have bigger needs elsewhere, but if they can afford to pay big for an exciting player like Bouaddi, they may see a massive payoff in the next couple of years should he reach his potential.
The Gunners do need to sign younger to avoid massive fees, but in Bouaddi's case, there is no real saving due to the money being asked for.
But Bouaddi may be worth the money, and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry was the latest to be impressed by the youngster. He said after his World Cup debut: “At 18 years old, in his first World Cup experience, Ayyoub Bouaddi went up against Brazil and cooked their midfield like it was a Sunday kitchen session, Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães were chasing shadows most of the game. Before the World Cup ends, I believe top clubs will be lining up for his signature, because you don’t see that kind of control from someone his age, especially on that stage.”