Arsenal are 'convinced' by the 'potential' possessed by Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby but a January move may be hard to complete, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Diaby's Leverkusen future

The 23-year-old is currently contracted until June 2025 so Leverkusen have no pressing need to sell the winger, who has been linked to Arsenal for a long time, as reported by 90min at the end of last season.

Die Werkself have started to turn their form around in the Bundesliga, winning their last four matches in the division, so they will not want to scupper their progress by allowing one of their star players to leave.

Journalist Patrick Berger has reported that it would take £68m plus bonuses to tempt Leverkusen into a sale, and Romano has now shared a fresh claim on the situation.

The Latest: Romano's update

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the potential move, the journalist said: “Moussa Diaby is a player that Arsenal have been following for a long time and they know him very well.

“They’re convinced of his potential but, at the same time, Bayer Leverkusen have no intention to sell the player in January unless they receive a really important bid.”

The Verdict: He's worth it

While a deal for the 23-year-old would set the Gunners back a hefty sum, there is every indication that he would be worth it, judging by his performances for Leverkusen over the past few seasons.

The Frenchman was at his best in the 2021/22 campaign, weighing in with an incredible 13 goals and 12 assists in 32 appearances, with the latter tally ranking him third in the league for that metric behind only Christopher Nkunku and Thomas Muller.

Morade Djeddi, president of his first club Esperance Paris 19e, once lauded the attacker as possessing a 'supernatural, divine gift' for dribbling, while also praising his 'explosiveness' on the ball.

Mikel Arteta may have to wait until the end of the season before launching a bid for Diaby, but by that point Arsenal are likely to be in a very strong negotiating position, given that they will have almost certainly secured Champions League football and could even be Premier League winners by then.