Brighton interested in £45,000-a-week Arsenal star, Gunners could swap him for Yves Bissouma – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Arsenal could sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma in a part-exchange deal, which could see Eddie Nketiah move in the opposite direction, Latest Brighton journalist Aden-Jay Wood reports.
The Gunners are likely to reinforce their midfield options this summer, and Bissouma has regularly been linked with them since the turn of the year.
It has been reported that the Seagulls want £40 million to part ways with the midfielder, but the Gunners could lower the price with a part-exchange deal.
The south coast outfit are interested in signing a new centre-forward this summer, and have their sights on Nketiah, who has a year left on his Gunners contract.
The England youth international could be used as a makeweight by the north London club to pursue the services of Bissouma ahead of their league rivals.
Sportslens view:
Bissouma has two years remaining on his contract, and he appears likely to pursue a bigger challenge when the transfer window reopens.
The Gunners are long-term admirers of the Mali international, but face competition from Liverpool and Leicester City for his signature this summer.
They won’t offer him European football, but are still positive about signing him with the assurance of a starting role while he was a boyhood Gunners fan.
Nketiah showed promise after returning from a loan stint at Leeds United last term, but he struggled for playing time during the backend of this season.
Towards the end of the campaign, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli were all ahead of him in the pecking order.
With 12 months remaining on his contract, he could be on the move, and Brighton would offer him the ideal platform to establish himself.
One of the Seagulls’ main concerns last term was their inability to convert chances into goals, and they paid the price with multiple points dropped.
Nketiah did not see much playing time with the Gunners last term, but he does have poacher instincts in the box, and would be a handy addition for Brighton.
The £45,000-a-week star scored six goals for the Gunners with one every 218 minutes. His record could only improve with a consistent run of starts at another club.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Read: Not David Luiz, another Arsenal defender is expected to leave this summer.