Arsenal are eyeing a move for Brahim Diaz ahead of the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad for the Champions League next season.
What’s the latest on Brahim Diaz to Arsenal?
According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), AC Milan, where Diaz has spent the last two seasons on loan, are looking to keep the player on a permanent basis.
His parent club, Real Madrid, are said to be demanding around €25m (£22.3m) for anyone to sign him – and Arsenal appear to have already made a move.
Arteta has reportedly ‘asked for information’ regarding Diaz, and he could well look to make a swoop for his compatriot when the transfer window opens.
Could Arsenal sign Brahim Diaz?
With the Gunners looking forward to appearing in the Champions League for the first time in seven seasons next term, this should allow them to attract higher-quality players, and Diaz is certainly a viable option.
The strongest area of this Arsenal side is their ability to score goals from wide areas, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli netting 27 goals between them so far this season, but it's clear that Arteta needs to add some depth to his squad – and Diaz could be perfect.
Even Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on the 23-year-old, dubbing him “incredible”, and we believe the Milan star is statistically similar to Raheem Sterling, which could be good news for Arteta.
Sterling has been a consistent goalscorer in the Premier League during his career, netting over 150 times, while his pace is a valuable asset. If the 41-year-old is able to sign someone like Sterling, he could further boost his squad there is no doubt about it.
Indeed, this season, the two players have registered similar statistics with regard to goals (five to four), shots per game (1.81 to 1.79), successful take-ons (29 to 27) and shot-creating actions per match (4.59 to 3.38), suggesting that Diaz would make for an excellent addition to the Arsenal squad.
The 23-year-old has created nine big chances and averages 1.1 successful dribbles per game in Serie A, which demonstrates just how much of an attacking threat he poses, and although Arteta’s starting XI is extremely strong, a lack of strength in depth is arguably a weakness that needs resolving.
This summer could be an exciting time for the Emirates faithful, and if they win the league title, there could be a few high-profile additions come the start of next season.