DONE DEAL: Arsenal complete Thomas Partey swap deal to bring in high profilic striker who Netted 38goals last season on a Seven years deal,Here we go confirmed
DONE DEAL: Arsenal complete Thomas Partey swap deal to bring in high profilic striker who Netted 38goals last season on a Seven years deal,Here we go confirmed
Liverpool are reportedly battling with Arsenal over a deal to sign Olympique Lyonnais star Malick Fofana, as per Caught Offside.
Since moving to Groupama Stadium from KAA Gent in January last year, the 20-year-old has been playing as a rotational option. Still, he managed to showcase glimpses of his qualities last term, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in 21 starts in Ligue 1 and the Champions League.
Moreover, he guided his team to qualify for the Europa League by finishing in sixth place in the French top flight.
However, Lyon have been handed the punishment of relegation to Ligue 2, having been found guilty of financial mismanagement. So, several of their star players’ futures are currently uncertain.
Now, Caught Offside claim that amid this situation, Les Gones are expected to be forced into selling key players, and Fofana is likely to be one of them, with Arsenal and Liverpool showing a keen interest in buying him.
They have been monitoring his situation closely before making a potential swoop, while the player is open to moving to the Premier League. However, although Lyon have found themselves in a difficult situation, they don’t want to let him leave for anything less than £38m with his existing deal set to run until 2028.
Battle
Apart from Liverpool and Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also in this race, while the Lilywhites are even ready to spend around £30m to seal the deal.
Liverpool is currently well-resourced in the wide areas as they already have Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo for the left flank, while Mohamed Salah has been the undisputed starter on the opposite side.
However, Diaz has entered the final two years of his current contract and has been tentatively linked with a move away. Moreover, Gakpo has been a subject of attention for other clubs.
Ideally, Liverpool reportedly don’t want to part ways with either of them, but perhaps, they are lining up a potential replacement if they eventually part ways with Diaz or Gakpo.
On the other hand, Arsenal are keen on upgrading the left flank this summer following Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard’s inconsistent performances last term.
Rodrygo Goes and Eberechi Eze have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks, while Fofana is on their radar as well.
The 20-year-old is a talented player and could become a top-class forward in the future. So, he would be a shrewd acquisition for Arsenal or Liverpool with a view to the long-term future should either club purchase him.
