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Arsenal Are in Talks to Secure the Signing of £60 million Rated French forward

Moussa Diaby, Arsenal

According to reports from BILD (via The Sun), Arsenal have stepped up their pursuit of Moussa Diaby with Bayer Leverkusen demanding £60 million for him.

The search for high-profile strikers by the North London club has been evident even before the transfer window began. Capped five times for France, Moussa Diaby could fit pretty well in an Arsenal side that is full of young and hungry stars. However, others have their doubts that the Leverkusen forward might turn out to be a similar story to Nicolas Pepe.

Arsenal currently have Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe as right-wingers. On the other flank, they have Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe.

Diaby has very similar traits to that of a left-footed right-winger. He creates from the right with his excellent passing ability and uses his pace and physique to burst into good areas of the pitch and create problems for the opposition. Moreover, he also does not shy away from taking a shot. However, he lacks the defensive contribution needed for a world-class player.

Moussa Diaby in action for Bayer Leverkusen, Moussa Diaby, Arsenal
Image Obtained Via Team Talk

Player Profile

The French forward notched up some stellar numbers in the Bundesliga last season. Thirteen goals and twelve assists in 32 appearances is no easy feat when you are a 23-year-old playing in a top-division league (stats via transfermarkt).

Averaging a goal involvement every 1.3 games is a solid number. With such stats in the bag, Diaby has raised some eyebrows all across Europe, especially from Premier League’s Arsenal.

Moreover, he is also one of Europe’s best ball carriers and that could help Arsenal in big games. Arsenal lack that one player who can grab the game by its neck. He could be that one player that Arsenal can go to during tough situations. There are matches when even the best teams struggle to score.

There’s no denying Diaby’s ability and talent as he was one of the best performers in the German league last season. He has shown gradual growth in his statistics in the past few seasons. This means that he is not just a one-season wonder but a player who is learning and showing signs of progressive development.

However, there are a few weaknesses to his game that are noticeable. He is not the best in defensive contributions and could use some training to get better at aerial duels.

He has completed 39 key passes last season and 44 passes (not including set pieces) into the final third (stats via fbref). Moussa Diaby has the 9th most progressive carries in the Bundesliga (137) and also has 30 carries into the penalty area, which is the 5th most in the league.

He is 7th in the list of “number of shots on target” with 24, and has dribbled past 45 players, ranking 9th in Bundesliga. He ranks first in a fancy statistic of nutmegs, by performing that skill 13 times this season.

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Verdict

The 23-year-old winger’s main attributes are his passing and dribbling abilities. Moreover, he can play in a variety of positions like on either side of the pitch as a winger or midfielder and also as an attacking midfielder or a centre-forward.

As he now plays on the right side more, he likes to take more shots with his left foot after cutting inside. He also likes to drive at opponents during counterattacks.

The Gunners will need a backup player for fatigue during the season and Diaby could do that for a number of positions. To top it off, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been receiving plaudits for his ability to improve young talent.

Nicolas Pepe has a contract expiring in June 2024 and Arsenal may have been thinking of a way to replace him. If Moussa Diaby does succeed at Arsenal, other players like Saka will be churned on to work even harder and improve.

This signing will not only enhance the overall squad quality but also the depth of the squad. Still aged just 23, Diaby’s inclusion and growth under Arteta can prove to be fruitful for both the player and the club.

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