Arsenal: £25 million Yannick Carrasco a risk worth taking

Dalian Yifang reportedly want £25 million for winger Yannick Carrasco. The signing would be a risk, but for Arsenal, at that price, it is a risk worth taking.

Arsenal are yet to make a signing this summer. It is still early in the window, of course. It will not shut for another two months. But the lack of movement in the market is a little frustrating, especially considering their efficiency in acquiring purposefully scouted targets last summer.

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Nevertheless, if there is a name that is potentially nearing a north London move, it is Dalian Yifang winger Yannick Carrasco, who was heavily linked with a transfer in January but ultimately remained in China due to the Gunners only being willing to sign him on a loan deal.

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On Tuesday morning, the first real report of any significance was released: James Olley from the London Evening Standard reported that Arsenal are interested in signing Carrasco but must meet Dalian Yifang’s £25 million evaluation, with negotiations currently ongoing between the two clubs regarding the structure of the payments, whether there any performance-related clauses, and if a loan deal is possible, with the Gunners concerned about affording the Belgian’s substantial £170,000-a-week wages.

Carrasco has always been a tempting prospect. Even during his days at Atletico Madrid, there were always tentative murmurs of an exit, though nothing ever came of these. He has been named as one of the brightest young prospects in European football for some time, has been everpresent for the Belgian national team, but then ostensibly through all this in the bin when he moved to China 18 months ago. That decision, allied with some rumours during his time in Madrid, have led to questions regarding his attitude and character. Carrasco would be a risk.

But at £25 million, that risk is mitigated somewhat by price. Carrasco’s talent is undeniable. He is brilliantly skilful, has terrific dribbling ability, an eye for goal, wonderful balance and agility to swerve between challenges, committing defenders’ attention before slipping teammates into the vacated space. He is the exact type of attacker that Arsenal lacked last season.

I have made known my hesitations to completely hop on the Carrasco train. I certainly have my doubts regarding his character, work ethic, and potential dressing room disruption. However, if the fee is in the region of £25 million, and not the £30-35 million that was initially being spouted, that makes a signing far more intriguing.

The price does not completely rid of the risk, of course. Any signing could still be like throwing money down the toilet. But it is far more palatable with the smaller fee, one that I now feel Arsenal should be willing to jump on.

Carrasco is far from the perfect wing prospect. There are better, safer options. But for a price that still allows the club to invest in other positions, it is difficult to say no.