Unai Emery’s Arsenal have reportedly stated their interest in German midfielder Kerem Demirbay to his club, 1899 Hoffenheim, according to reports in Bild.
Demirbay is an impressive ball player and has racked up an enviable 4 goals and 6 assists this season in just 22 games.
The report in Bild further states that the North London club are interested in activating midfielder’s release clause which is reported to be between €20m-€30m. Another report in Daily Mail has claimed the player’s release clause is worth £22m.
The Gunners have built an important relationship with Hoffenheim in recent years, with the wildly successful loan deal for Reiss Nelson building a solid reputation for the North London club.
At 25 years old, the player could have a very successful playing career with the North London club as a replacement for Aaron Ramsey, who is set to leave in the summer to join Juventus.
Ramsey has been a creative powerhouse for Arsenal, as well as being sharp in front of goal, grabbing 7 assists and scoring 6 goals alongside this.
Emery has a serious job on his hands in replacing the Welsh international who has been a regular starter for the Gunners. His statistics are brilliant, but his subtle contributions to games is likely to be missed even more.
Ramsey has been key in the build-up of many attacks, and a player like Demirbay could be a brilliant addition to an already strong Arsenal attack, where the loss of Ramsey will be felt.
Demirbay has been reported to be a strong ball player with a powerful shot. The comparison to Granit Xhaka is a solid one, and the players could certainly be seen playing in a partnership in midfield.
If Arsenal are going to be title challengers next season, it will be vital to buy players like the young midfielder, even with a reduced budget given last season’s failure to make it into the Champions League.
