Arsenal had a sluggish winter transfer window and couldn’t fulfil the requirement of signing a midfielder this January. So to assist Mikel Arteta and bolster his midfield options, Arsenal are looking at a potential move for Napoli central midfielder Fabian Ruiz in the summer.

When Fabian Ruiz came to Italy in 2018, he was regarded as a promising talent from the small city of Los Palacios y Villafranca in Seville, Spain. A year later, the Spanish youngster became a pivotal part of Napoli’s team under Carlo Ancelotti and experienced the Champions League for the first time.

This season, Ruiz helped Napoli finish second on 10 points in the Europa League group stage. However, the Italian club had to go through the knockout play-off stages to qualify for the Round of 16 as Spartak Moscow secured top position in the group due to more points against Napoli. The Spaniard started both the legs against Barcelona in the play-off stage, but unfortunately, lost 5-3 on aggregate.

The 25-year-old tasted his first glory with the national team. He won the European U21 Championship with Spain and proved his talent with a remarkable goal in the final against Germany. His performances in the competition earned him the UEFA Player of the Tournament award.

In the four seasons at Napoli, Ruiz has made 155 appearances across all competitions, scoring 20 goals and assisting 14 times. This season, he has five goals and three assists to his name. Although he doesn’t regularly appear on the scoresheet, his role of bringing the ball from the back and his shot creation per 90 rates at 3.31 (via Fbref) make him a valuable addition to the team.

Finally publishing some radars again, now that I've upgraded my tools. Since Arsenal are allegedly interested, here's what Fabian Ruiz's season to date looks like when compared to Granit Xhaka. Fabian takes among the most touches in Europe and still turns it over rarely, crazy. pic.twitter.com/TTAiBQBfZh

— Adam Rae Voge (@adamvoge) February 20, 2022

The Spanish international has become the backbone of Napoli’s midfield as they try to win the Serie A title this season. He is in the fourth year of his current contract with the Serie A club. His experience at the top level and his expertise in the midfield will be very important for the Gunners. He would certainly be an upgrade to Granit Xhaka.

According to The Mirror, Arsenal have begun talks over a potential move for Fabian Ruiz. The report states that representatives of the club have made inquiries with the player’s agent to understand the possibility of a transfer in the summer and to know his demands.

Mikel Arteta is a big fan of the Napoli midfielder. The Spanish manager sees many qualities in his compatriot that he wants to instil in his players at the Emirates, which is why Arteta is keen on signing the player in the summer transfer window. Ruiz has less than one-and-a-half years left on his contract and has rejected the proposal to sign a new deal at the Serie A club.

Napoli are looking to balance the books and therefore, are open to selling the player. The Italian side have set the price for Fabian Ruiz at £16million plus add-ons and will hold out on the midfielder until their price tag is met. Meanwhile, the player himself is looking for a four-year deal from any new suitor.

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His agents have hinted at a Premier League switch in the summer or when his contract expires next summer. The Gunners are ready to pounce on him early before any other club can take a lead in the race. In England, Newcastle and Manchester United are keeping close tabs on the player.

Meanwhile, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also interested in the player’s services. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is also a fan of the Spanish midfielder and loves his style of play very much. Moreover, Fabian Ruiz is not against going back to Spain and rejoin with the former Napoli manager.

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