Arsenal have made an enquiry about a potential transfer for former Liverpool transfer target Nabil Fekir, according to reports in Daily Star.
The 26-year-old spent several successful years at French club Lyon where he blossomed into a fine attacking midfielder with a real eye for goal. He moved to Real Betis in the summer of 2019 and has had a reasonably productive spell contributing 7 goals and 6 assists so far.
The report in Daily Star states that Arsenal are looking at bringing in Fekir to replace Dani Ceballos who will be returning to Spain at the end of his loan spell in North London. With that due to happen, manager Mikel Arteta wants to bring in a new midfielder on a permanent basis this summer.
Another report in Express claims that Arsenal will have to part with a fee of around £40m to get their hands on the French forward. He was very close to joining current Premier League leaders Liverpool in a £53 million deal but that did not happen as the Merseyside club thought against it due to his fitness history.
In Spain, he has built back up his reputation and his performances have caught the eye of Arsenal, though he is under contract at Seville until 2023. Though there is a chance that Ceballos might once again be available on loan, it seems the club are looking elsewhere.
Fekir is a player who is capable of playing in multiple positions and that will give Arteta many options to play around with. He can play as a No. 10 or can play on the wings and there were times when he played as a false 9 during his time in France.
Though he is a slightly different player when compared to Ceballos, he will nonetheless be a great addition to the Gunners squad. And at the age of 26, he will be entering the prime of his career and that would be good for the Emirates club.
The kind of fee that Arsenal can part with will also be dependent on whether they are able to make it back to the Champions League. Ending the season on a strong note will help the club get their man and fans will surely be excited if Fekir does come to England.
