Arsenal Set To Lose Out On Michy Batshuayi To Tottenham

Arsenal has a knack for missing out on players and Michy Batshuayi might become the latest. Despite consistent scouting of the Belgian, it is Tottenham who look to nab him.

Unfortunate reports from the Express indicate that Arsenal look set to miss out on Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi for a second, and probably final, time if he indeed completes his move to Tottenham. Arsenal have been keeping tabs on Batshuayi since his days at Anderlecht, but a move never materialized and his value has since grown to near £30m.

Related Story: Arsenal's 50 Most Defining Moments

Arsenal does have a very serious knack for missing out on players. Batshuayi was a rising star at Anderlecht and one that could have given Arsenal’s striking corps a shot in the arm when they needed it most. Instead, Giroud was left to his own devices, where he came and went depending on his confidence.

Batshuayi is a player like Grzegorz Krychowiak in the sense that Arsenal missed out on a long term solution to a long term problem and now that they are finally nearing a point of ‘need,’ those players values are well beyond what Wenger values them at. Batshuayi could and should be at Arsenal but they let Marseille run away with his initial transfer. Now the Gunners appear out of the market.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

But Tottenham is not. Desperate for a striker to place next to Harry Kane, Batshuayi would be a fantastic addition. At just 22 years of age, he 11 goals in Ligue 1 and 14 in all competitions (via WhoScored). That puts him behind just one man, the Sweedish Behemoth, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Sounds like he is worth the dough that Tottenham may or may not spend on him. But any chance of him coming to Arsenal has essentially been written off. That fee is not an agreeable one for Wenger to stomach.

Arsenal need a secondary striker to suit up and compete with Olivier Giroud. It has been well established that he is at his best when he has someone else there to push him. Batshuayi is proving that he could have been that guy. After all, the Romelu Lukaku comparisons are about more than the hair and being from Belgium.

Next: 15 Transfer Rumors To Follow

Wenger has often made the excuse that players are not available, but in 2014 when Batshuayi moved, he was clearly available and Arsenal could have made fantastic use of his services. But it did not happen. So now we wait to see if Tottenham can make good on Arsenal’s missed chance. And then we have to root against him.