According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Arsenal have joined the likes of Chelsea in the race to sign Barcelona youngster Mikakil Faye at the end of the campaign.
The Gunners are likely to bolster multiple positions during the summer transfer window and it has been reported that they could land a new central defender. Ousmane Diomande has been one of those linked in recent weeks, but Calciomercato claim that the Gunners are now interested in landing the signature of Faye.
The source claim that Mikel Arteta’s team have joined Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus in the pursuit of the teenager, who has impressed with his technical and physical attributes. It is reported that a fee between £12 million to £17 million could be sufficient to secure the services of the Senegalese ace.
Surprise transfer
Faye currently plays for the reserve team at Barcelona, having joined them from Croatian side NK Kustosija Zagreb last summer. The 19-year-old has yet to make his maiden appearance for the senior squad under manager Xavi Hernandez, but the youngster recently made his international debut for Senegal, scoring in a friendly against Gabon.
Arsenal don’t necessarily need another centre-back at the moment, but they could be enticed to sign the youngster with a long-term plan in mind. Faye has good distributions skills and does not shy away from engaging in tackles. He has already been sent off twice for Barca Athletic due to some rash challenges. This is an area why he needs to improve to become a quality centre-back in the long run.
With the likes of Chelsea and Dortmund also keen, Arsenal may need to make early contact with the player and his representatives to get a head start. Both Chelsea and Dortmund are known for pursuing young players with huge potential and Arsenal must be aware of the negotiation power for the European duo.
