According to a recent report by Express, Arsenal are keen to lure Sampdoria attacking midfielder Dennis Praet to the Emirates Stadium. He has a release clause of £22million in his contract, which implies that Sampdoria can reject any bid which falls short of it. Apart from Arsenal, their Premier League rivals Everton and West Ham United are also monitoring him closely.
Under the stewardship of their new manager Unai Emery, Arsenal have been quick in attempting to fix their loopholes. The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has already signed Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, Sokratis, Bernd Leno and Stephan Lichtsteiner to enhance his armoury.
However, he has kept the door open for one or two more signings and that is why the Gunners’ apparent interest in Praet makes some sense.
Having blossomed in the youth ranks of Anderlecht back in Belgium, Praet excelled after he was promoted to their senior side.
Having managed to churn over a century of appearances for them, he sealed a move to Sampdoria in the summer of 2016. He has certainly proven his calibre in Serie A and is one of the most important players in the ranks of the Italian outfit.
What will Dennis Praet add to Arsenal?
The 24-year-old is technically astute and has a tremendous work ethic. He toils relentlessly on the pitch and his excellent vision and incisive movements on and off the ball make him a handy asset for any side.
He has a sublime first touch and more often than not, he makes tough tackles in the middle of the park to save the blushes of his employers.
The Belgian international passes the ball meticulously and orchestrates the midfield play. He bagged 32 appearances in the Italian top flight last season, scoring 1 goal and garnering 3 assists. Besides, he made 2.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 0.5 clearances per game on an average and no wonder his stocks are highly rated.
However, he might need some time to settle in, if his move to Arsenal materialises, having not played in England before this. Besides, Emery has plenty of options to cater to his midfield needs and Praet will face a lot of competition to nail down a place in the starting line-up. Nonetheless, the player is certainly good enough to play for Arsenal’s current team but whether the Gunners need him right now is debatable.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored