Arsenal have been linked with a move for Monaco attacker Keita Balde, it has been claimed.
Balde spent the previous campaign on loan at Serie A side Inter Milan. The Italian giants had the chance to sign him for £30 million, but the hefty price tag and his inconsistent form has forced them to not go through with the deal.
Monaco boss Leonardo Jardim is not keen to keep Balde, and so a move to Arsenal could be on the cards should Unai Emery’s side be able to match the asking price, as per French website Le10 Sport.
Considering Arsenal’s summer transfer budget, however, they will have to tread carefully as they can’t afford to sign players who won’t hit the ground running.
Keita Balde: Profile
Balde spent his youth career at Barcelona and Lazio, before his full debut. After his impressing performances for Lazio, he was signed by Monaco in the summer of 2017.
The 24-year-old mustered 24 appearances in Serie A for Inter Milan last season, and finished with five goals and two assists.
Balde is currently on national duty with Senegal in the African Cup of Nations.
Should Arsenal push for Keita Balde?
The north London outfit need better wingers, and Balde would be an exciting option. He is a versatile player, and his ability to feature as a number nine might come in handy.
The Senegalese’s strengths are his pace and ability to drive at opposition defences, something the Gunners missed last season. Balde’s finishing is also pretty impressive, something he showed during his stay at Lazio.
Balde’s work ethic can improve, but considering Arsenal need more freshness in attack, the Senegalese’s potential arrival would add more potency to the Gunners attack.
Arsenal lacked the cutting edge at times last season, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan flattered to deceive, while Alex Iwobi was too inconsistent even though he did impress on occasions.
Balde’s performances in the Serie A were good enough, and he might find the more open Premier League easier, just like previous imports Mohamed Salah and Felipe Anderson who did well instantly after making the switch from the Italian top-flight.
Emery is working on a tight budget as it has been reported that he has merely £40million to spend this summer.
Signing Balde would eat up a considerable amount of the aforesaid figure. So the Gunners will have to sell some of their deadwood players if they are to sign Balde and strengthen other areas of the pitch as well.