French winger Moussa Diaby is emerging as a “lead target” for Arsenal in the summer transfer window but face competition from Man Utd, according to the Daily Mail.
The Gunners are looking to add at least five or six new players in the summer to bolster their squad after qualifying for the Champions League next season, and adding a top-quality winger is a priority for Mikel Arteta.
The Daily Mail claims that the Gunners want a new centre-back, possibly two central midfielders and a versatile attacker, and they have shown “serious interest” in signing Diaby.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward has enjoyed a fantastic 2022-23 campaign once again. Last season, he scored 17 goals, and so far he has netted 14 times. Diaby has a contract at the German club until 2025, and he would cost at least ?50 million, as per The Daily Mail.
Arsenal are now lining-up a move for the winger but they are expected to face stiff competition as the report says Premier League rivals Manchester United are also keen on Diaby, while Newcastle and La Liga giants Real Madrid are also tracking him.
The newspaper adds that the Gunners have also identified Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha as a target, with the winger set to become a free agent in the summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal at Selhurst Park. He is under consideration, but Diaby appears to be Arsenal’s top target at the moment.
Competition
Arteta has a wealth of attacking options in the form of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Reiss Nelson, but there is always room for a quality addition if it helps to bridge the gap with Manchester City.
Diaby has been very consistent with his performances for Leverkusen in recent years, and the French winger could add an extra dimension to Arsenal is he were to move to North London.
Moreover, the future of Nelson is uncertain. He has already rejected several new contract offers and there are suggestions that he could leave the club once his contract expires.
Zaha may have Premier League experience, but investing in young talent like Diaby makes a lot of sense for Arsenal – although it appears they’ll need to battle it out with Man Utd this summer.
The Red Devils are also expected to be active in the transfer market as Erik Ten Hag looks to build a squad capable of competing on all fronts, and Diaby has been earmarked as a target.