Arsenal are highly confident of signing Brighton & Hove Albion midfield stalwart Yves Bissouma in the summer, as claimed by the Daily Star.
Bissouma has been the standout player for Brighton ever since he arrived from the French club Lille in 2018. The South Coast club had spent about £15 million to bring him to the Amex Stadium. His incredible performances have since proved that the deal was a bargain for the Premier League club.
According to the same report, Arsenal are not the only club that is looking to sign the midfielder. Everton, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur have all made inquiries for the Mali midfielder. Liverpool and Manchester United have also been linked to signing him but both of the clubs already have a rich pool of players at the centre of the park.
Should Mikel Arteta sign Yves Bissouma?
Mikel Arteta is a big admirer of Yves Bissouma. His box-to-box energy will help the Gunners to strengthen their defensive structure and at the same time provide somebody who is adept in and around the opposition’s box as well.
The 24-year old player has been a part of 33 Premier League games out of 35 possible. He averages an impressive 2.7 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game. In fact, he has made the second most number of tackles (91) this season and is only behind Leed’s Luke Ayling (94) on this list. He not only defends but also tries to bring composure at the centre of the park. He averages a shot per game and has a passing success rate of 87%.
Thomas Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid last summer but the player has failed to meet the expectations. It is believed that bringing Bissouma with Partey at the centre of the park will provide more stability to the team. The defence will feel more secure and the attacking players will be able to concentrate more on creating goal-scoring chances. Dani Ceballos’ loan spell at the Emirates will end this summer. He will return to Real Madrid, thus, vacating a spot in midfield for Arsenal to fill.
Yves Bissouma has two years left on his contract with Brighton. This means that the Seagulls can still demand a substantial transfer fee from Arsenal. The Daily Star tells that the South Coast club will allow the midfielder to leave if the club tables a £30 million offer. Graham Potter will lose a key component of his team but the club will earn a 200% return on their investment made in 2018. Not a bad deal at all for a club whose initial target will be to avoid relegation comfortably next time around.