AC Milan's Brahim Diaz during the warm up before the match
Arsenal reportedly want to open talks to sign attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz this summer, and even have an offer ready.
The Lowdown: Plenty of interest
Diaz is attracting plenty of interest ahead of the summer transfer window, with both Chelsea and Newcastle United also thought to be interested in his signature.
He is currently on loan at AC Milan from Real Madrid, and has been one of their standout performers in the Serie A, with four goals and three assists as well as ranking highly among his team-mates for average shots, key passes and dribbles per match (WhoScored).
The Latest: Offer ready
As per Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Arsenal ‘would like to open negotiations’ with Diaz over a potential move this summer, and want to ‘present an offer’ to Madrid.
Milan have an option to buy him for €22m (£19.4m), while Madrid themselves are considering renewing his contract.
The Verdict: Get it done
Having come through the youth ranks at Manchester City, and being Spanish, Diaz is a player Mikel Arteta will know well and would have kept an eye on during his time as assistant manager at the Etihad Stadium.
At 23 years of age, he is a player still with plenty of potential, and his ability to play in midfield as well as anywhere across the forward line would offer great versatility for next season.
Gunners supporters would have also noticed the impressive performances that Diaz put in in helping knock out North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League last-16 stage, where he scored the winning goal in the first leg, and produced what The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons lauded as an ‘outstanding‘ display in the second.
Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti also hailed him as a ‘pest‘ to play against, and so Diaz would be someone that the Emirates Stadium crowd could get behind straight away.
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