Arsenal are reportedly set to be handed a boost in their pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni, as Mikel Arteta aims to revamp his midfield this summer.
The Spaniard is imminently set to announce the signing of Declan Rice in a record-breaking deal worth £105m, however, now that Granit Xhaka has departed, there could be room for more firepower in the middle of the park.
Did Arsenal bid for Aurelien Tchouameni?
In the past few weeks, it has been rumoured that Arsenal are interested in Real Madrid ace Tchouameni, with Football Transfers reporting that the Gunners ‘will reignite’ their interest in the Frenchman if other targets fail.
The deal looked unlikely with the club spending over £100m on Rice, however, an update from the Express, via reports in Spain, has revealed that the north Londoners could capture the 23-year-old at a lower price than anticipated.
The report claims that Real Madrid are active in their pursuit of Kylian Mbappe, with news speculating that Los Blancos could sell the likes of Tchouameni or Federico Valverde to free up funds for the PSG star.
Indeed, journalist Juan Ignacio G-Ochoa revealed that Madrid could allow either of the midfielders to depart for a price in the range of £68m-£85m, giving Arsenal a potentially golden chance to make another signing.
Could Aurelien Tchouameni be a good fit for Arsenal?
Lauded as “sensational” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the Frenchman would be an emphatic addition for Arteta to integrate into his midfield.
At just 23, the midfielder has cemented himself as a valuable member of both Real Madrid and the France national team, earning 25 caps for his country.
With Rice’s arrival imminent, exploring the possibility of signing Tchouameni could take Arsenal to the next level, with a player that could encourage the West Ham captain to reach his best form in north London.
As per FBref, the Real Madrid star sat in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues regarding his pass completion, flexing a 92.9% success rate per 90 over the past year.
A similar level was applicable to his rate of defensive work too, averaging 1.98 interceptions per 90, a figure that ranked him in the top 1% of the continent's top five leagues also.
Having a player with such composure in the engine room could allow Rice to explore more advanced areas of his game, while having a trusted anchor in a pivot with him to mediate the transition between defence and attack.
The Englishman has been tipped by writer Henry Winter to take his ‘final-third game’ to the next level at Arsenal, after showing glimpses of what he can do further up the field in claret and blue.
While acting as a prominent figure in deep midfield, the 24-year-old is versatile in his approach to play, as highlighted by his 2.75 shot-creating actions and 1.02 key passes per 90, via FBref.
A confident hitter of the ball and creative distributor, Arteta could see Rice thrive in a slightly more advanced role, which could be made possible by signing the defensive talent of Tchouameni.
The Frenchman is a player capable of holding the fort, in a pivot that could allow the Englishman to develop other areas of his game that truly take him to unplayable levels.
With the 23-year-old reportedly available at the right price this summer, Arteta could inspire his side with a complete upgrade in the middle of the park.
