Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could dip into the market and snare a former academy prospect, bringing him back to the Emirates Stadium with a lucrative bid.
What’s the word?
90min are reporting that Valencia have initiated contract talks with their rising star Yunus Musah, who signed for the Spanish outfit in 2019, after departing from the Gunners academy.
With Liverpool and Chelsea also emerging as potential suitors for the dynamic midfielder, Arteta will need to move swiftly if he is indeed to make his move for a player they have been tracking since 2019.
The report states that while Valencia would be open to sale, should they fail in their contractual offer, Musah’s release clause of €100m (£86m) could be a wall too insurmountable to overcome.
Ramsey heir
Arsenal have gone from strength to strength across the past few seasons, and now top the Premier League table after 14 matches played, ahead of the formidable Manchester City by five points.
There is a desire to improve several departments of the team, however, with The Sun reporting earlier this season that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke will present the Spaniard Arteta with funds to target impactful additions, with the centre of the park and the wide flanks desired.
Musah played an integral role in the USA’s commendable World Cup campaign, where the side finished second in the group phase and lost in a thrilling round-of-16 encounter against the Netherlands.
As per Sofascore, the industrious midfielder recorded an 87% pass success rate in Qatar, making 2.0 tackles per match and aiding his team as the central focal point, linking the offensive and defensive departments with a refined presence that belies his tender age.
His tenacity in the centre offers shades of Aaron Ramsey, who starred for the Gunners, making 371 appearances for the London giants, scoring 65 goals and assists apiece and playing a vital role in securing three FA Cup trophies during his lengthy stay.
Musah, who ranks within the top 7% for dribbles completed when compared to midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues this term, as per FBref, displays a clear aptitude for seeking out forward transitions and instigating positive plays.
Much like Ramsey, there is a knack for implementing a forward-thinking mindset into the game, and Arsenal would certainly welcome this approach back to the Emirates, with the “connector” - as Gregg Berhalter calls him - raising the performance of all his teammates when he’s fit and firing.
Having already plied his trade at Arsenal at youth level, the door remains open for a return, and despite the deal likely being rather expensive, Arsenal would boast a newfound presence of dogged ubiquity in the middle, who could help them continue to rise.