Arsenal are monitoring Brentford winger Said Benrahma, as per the reports.
Mikel Arteta is could make some changes to the squad in the transfer window, and Benrahma has emerged as one of his targets.
As per RMC Sport, the Gunners are keeping close tabs on the attacker, and will have to compete with Chelsea, Leeds United, and Leicester City if they want to sign him.
Chelsea are already in discussions for the attacker who is valued at £35.5m (h/t Sun), so the Gunners will have to make a move if they don’t want to miss out.
Benrahma moved to Brentford from French outfit Nice in 2018, and has helped the Bees to a Championship play-off spot this season.
The swashbuckling winger has plundered 17 goals and 8 assists from 44 league games this season, and has been an instrumental player for Brentford in the Championship.
Brentford were beaten 1-0 by Swansea City in the first leg of the play-off semi-final, and it remains to be seen if they can overturn the deficit and then go on to win the final.
It will be incredibly difficult for Brentford to keep Benrahma at the Griffin Park if they fail in their promotion bid, as offers from the top-flight will be too hard to resist for the Algerian international.
Said Benrahma – What Will He Bring To Arsenal?
The north Londoners are unlikely to break the bank this summer due to the financial stringency due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as their failure to make it to the Champions League, and will have to spend smartly.
Arsenal relied heavily on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goals in the 2019-20 league campaign. His contract expires next summer, doubts linger over his future.
The tricky situation regarding his contract is no secret and the Gunners could help their cause by signing Benrahma. Even if Aubameyang stays at Arsenal, the Brentford star could bring more depth and quality to Arsenal’s attack.
The Algerian international primarily operates as a left-winger but is versatile enough to lead the line. He is a dynamic player who has not only shown his calibre to score goals and create chances but also has the pace to test defenders.
He has the pace to move the ball swiftly from one end to the other, and excels at passing the ball with precision. His creativity, set-piece specialization and dribbling would be a welcome boost for Arsenal, and he could be a shrewd signing for them.
Benrahma often gets into good shooting positions, and has taken an average of 3.8 shots per game in the Championship this season. Arsenal have often played Aubameyang on the left, but should they sign Benrahma, the Gabonese can be deployed up top.
Brentford were the Championship’s highest scorers in the 2019-20 season, and considering their style of play, Benrahma will not find it hard to acclimatise under Arteta.
Statistics Credits: Whoscored