As reported by Sky Germany, Moussa Diaby is an issue at Arsenal after the Premier League leaders missed out on Mykhailo Mudryk, who joined Chelsea.
The Bayer Leverkusen forward has a contract until 2025 and so Arsenal would have to pay a significant fee to sign the Frenchman, who has scored six and created three in 15 Bundesliga games this season.
During the summer, Diaby attracted interest from PSG and was the number one target of Newcastle United, who were ready to pay between €35m and €40m to secure the signing, but B04 were only willing to negotiate should they receive a fee more than €60m.
Bayer Leverkusen Sporting Director Simon Rolfes was adamant during the summer that Diaby would remain at the club for the current season, with Champions League football on offer, but also admitted that it would be difficult to keep hold of the France international should they receive a substantial offer.
“I’m optimistic about Moussa that he will play here again next season but when clubs with incredibly large financial opportunities bid for such a player, we have to sell a top player at some point,” Rolfes said in June.
This report from Sky Germany comes after Chelsea completed the signing of Mudryk for an initial £62m, that could rise by a further £27m in bonuses. Mudryk is a player that Arsenal courted but Chelsea hijacked the deal with a significant transfer fee, whilst reportedly doubling the Ukrainian’s wages, according to The Independent.
GGFN | Daniel Pinder