3 days ago
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Arsenal continue to be linked with players to fill the left-wing position, despite their strength in depth there, as one target's club have been told of their plan to sign him.
The January transfer window is just around the corner, but Arsenal may well be the quietest team of the lot when the market opens once again next month. The Gunners are in a strong position with their squad going into the window, having spent heavily over the summer months.
As a result, Mikel Arteta has great strength in depth, capable of calling upon some quality options when others within the team are stricken with injury. With Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and in fine shape in both the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, focus will likely be elsewhere over the winter months.
Any moves are likely to be either outgoings or signings for the future, which puts Andrea Berta in a position to look ahead for some more optimal moves in other markets. That includes the 2026 summer transfer window, which opens up yet more possibility to create some squad churn.
While some stars are likely to move on, the Gunners have already lined up some targets for next year, one of which fills out the left wing. That being Jean-Matteo Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt, as Sky Sports Germany report that Arsenal are showing a keen interest in the 20-year-old.
It's claimed that the north London club have informed Frankfurt of their interest in the winger, but the plan appears to be one for next summer, rather than in January. €70million (£61.2million) appears to be the current asking price set on Bahoya, who has a contract with the Bundesliga club until 2029.
The France Under-21s international signed for Eintracht Frankfurt back in 2024 from Angers, costing them €8million (£7million) at the time. In just over one year since, the young winger has made 59 appearances for his club, scoring six goals and assisting five times.
As a right-footed left-winger, he is more than comfortable causing problems on the inside and outside of the opposition full-backs, showing plenty of potential for the future. The potential signing for Arsenal could see them add in a player who may not make an immediate impact, given the strength in depth out wide.
The left-wing slot is currently being battled for by Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Eberechi Eze, putting plenty of competition for the one place. It's something that is necessary, given the amount of games across all competitions, plus the potential for injuries.
However, all three fit into different stages of their career in terms of their age profile. Trossard is in his early 30s, with a usual career expectation being that he is in his peak, but coming towards the latter end of that in the coming years.
Eze is 27, which is expected to be the start of a player's peak, while Martinelli is still just 24 and at the start of what is the usual peak with career trajectory. In adding someone like Bahoya, Arsenal would be signing someone at the start of their career, capable of making a long-term impact if he continues to develop.
Given the position the squad is in, with top players performing at the peak of their powers, they appear to be the types of deals Arsenal are willing to do. The Gunners recently agreed deals to sign Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente Del Valle, who are both 16, and won't sign until 2027 when they turn 18.
The club have already announced a pre-agreement to sign Victor Ozhianvuna from Shamrock Rovers, who is another 16-year-old with a bright future. It's a clear sign to Andrea Berta's next priority shift, which is making sure the club can stay sustainable with talent coming through to replace others once their powers fade.
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