Sources in France suggest that unattached youngster Bilel Hassaini is on the radar at a number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal.
Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness) report that while Liverpool remain well-placed to land the 18-year-old, who has refused a professional contract at AS Nancy, the winger is said to be waiting for an offer from The Gunners – thought to be his preferred destination.
The youngster’s availability previously came to light last month, when Foot Mercato reported that Arsenal, along with Premier League rivals Crystal Palace, had made approaches for Hassaini.
However, their latest account suggests The Gunners are yet to make a ‘concrete proposal’ for his services, with the likes of Saint-Etienne also interested, while Hassaini’s former first-choice destination – thought to be Paris Saint-Germain – are said to be no longer in the running for the teenager’s signature.
An approach for Hassaini from Arsenal would be a continuation of their search for a wide player in this transfer window, having previously been linked with moves for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Barcelona’s Malcom, despite already adding forward Gabriel Martinelli to their ranks in early July.
As a free agent, the costs would be minimal from The Gunners’ point of view, which may suit them amid reports of their lacklustre transfer budget which is thought to be of around £40m.
And with Arsenal reportedly in the market for a loan move for Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos, it seems clear that Unai Emery may be on the lookout for cheap wins in the remaining days of the summer window.
Securing such a relatively unknown prospect such as Hassaini may come with an element of risk, with the Frenchman having little experience of senior football so far.
Previous Foot Mercato reports had insisted that The Gunners were planning to install the youngster within their youth team should they persuade him to make a move to the Emirates Stadium, which may mean the player requires a bit of nurturing before displaying his true potential – though the array of interest from either side of the Channel suggests that Hassaini has plenty of promise despite his lack of first-team action.
Arsenal fans, will the club beat Liverpool to the signing of Hassaini? Join the discussion by commenting below…
