After suffering defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal have set their sights on reinforcing their attack with a Real Madrid star this summer.
Arsenal enter pole position to sign Real Madrid star
Defeat against Man City will likely be forgotten if Arsenal go on to win the Premier League, as expected, and advance in both the Champions League and FA Cup. But there’s no denying that it’s raised some questions for Andrea Berta to answer this summer.
The Gunners once again struggled in open play and, on this occasion, could not produce an answer to their problems through set pieces. After being caught in Pep Guardiola’s tactical vice, it’s clear that there are still improvements for Arsenal to make if they want to enter an era of dominance.
Arteta can fix big Eze blow by unleashing Arsenal’s modern-day Pires
Following Eberechi Eze’s injury, Mikel Arteta must change the dynamic of his frontline if he is to bounce back from Wembley defeat.
On that front, the rumours are already beginning to emerge too. Name such as Yan Diomande, for example, have threatened to steal the headlines as of late.
The RB Leizpig winger is a man in demand following an excellent season in the Bundesliga. And with Bukayo Saka failing to find his best form at the same time, Arsenal could swoop in to welcome an upgrade.
Saka’s struggles haven’t gone unnoticed in the Premier League, with Jamie Carragher delivering his verdict on The Overlap – saying: “I thought two years ago, Saka and Odegaard were looking like what I was thinking, ‘Oh God, these are the real deal’. These are like, this is going to be like Salah and De Bruyne type, they’re nearly there and they just never.”
The winger’s problems are only set to increase if the Gunners welcome another winger. According to Sports Boom, Arsenal have burst into pole position to sign Brahim Diaz from Real Madrid this summer.
Brahim Diaz could replace struggling Saka
Free from the nightmare of his AFCON final display, Diaz can finally appreciate the Golden Boot that he picked up at the tournament. His Panenka penalty has now been written out of history, replaced by a controversial Morocco victory. Whether they’ll ever get their hands on the trophy is another question entirely, however.
Diaz won’t mind though. He’ll be a relieved man and now has the chance to focus on his club future with Arsenal calling. The North London giants are reportedly preparing an offer worth €35m (£30m) + bonuses to test Real Madrid’s resolve.
If the former Manchester City man brings his AFCON form to the Emirates, then that would look like the bargain of the summer. Even though he’s struggled for starts in Spain, Diaz could be primed to replace Saka after scoring five goals in seven games for his country earlier this year.
Dubbed “extraordinary” by Carlo Ancelotti, Diaz could be one to watch when the summer transfer window swings open.