Arsenal have now made contact with Barcelona to enquire about one wonderkid that Mikel Arteta is keen to sign.
Arsenal could now be set to hijack a deal for one talented Barcelona teenager this summer.
The Gunners have shown a willingness to invest in youth in recent seasons. Mikel Arteta has taken transfer market gambles on the likes of Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, and Fabio Vieira, amongst others.
The Spanish coach now seems to be eyeing up another promising starlet. The North London club are seemingly acting fast to try to get a deal done while the opportunity to do so still exists.
Arsenal speak to Barcelona about Mikayil Faye
According to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, speaking to HITC, Arsenal have now “asked” the La Liga giants about the availability of Mikayil Faye.
The 19-year-old had been expected to make a £12 million switch to Porto this summer, but that deal now seems to have stalled, opening the door for the Gunners to swoop.
The Senegalese teenage is eager to get a taste of regular first-team football, which is why he is now pushing for an exit from the Camp Nou. He is yet to make his senior bow for Barcelona, despite being highly rated within the famed La Masia academy.
He has, however, been capped at senior international level by Senegal, which indicates just how promising a talent the young centre-back is.
Faye could be the next Gabriel Magalhaes at Arsenal
Faye has even earned the nickname “monster”, as reported by Football.London, due to his impressive physicality and committed style of play.
In that regard, he might be viewed at the Emirates Stadium as the next Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian is noted in North London for his aggressive, all-action style. Gabriel has been described as a “machine” in the past, and Faye could be considered as the eventual heir to the 26-year-old’s starting berth.
However, it would seem that in order to secure Faye’s services, Arteta will have to give him certain assurances about game time at senior level for the Gunners.
Like Gabriel, the Barca ace is left-footed, meaning that he could effectively serve as the defender’s understudy in the coming campaign, getting minutes here and there, and auditioning to secure his future as a partner for William Saliba in the heart of the Arsenal rearguard.