Arsenal could land Bissouma transfer with Nketiah plus cash deal

Arsenal will have to get creative to land their targets this summer and the interest in their fringe players may play a welcome role in reducing their outlays. One of their key priorities, Yves Bissouma, could be brought in on a reduced sum with the aid of Eddie Nketiah’s impending departure.

The final day of the Premier League season brought both smiles and disappointment as a 2-0 victory over Brighton resulted in a five-match winning run to end the season, one which still proved too little too late to secure European football.

While eyes were fixed in fine performances for Nicolas Pepe and Martin Odegaard, onlooking Arsenal fans couldn’t have helped but notice another commanding display for Yves Bissouma, who despite featuring in a limp Seagulls display stood out like a sore thumb.

For all the right reasons.

Arsenal could land Yves Bissouma transfer from Brighton with Eddie Nketiah plus cash summer deal

Being the midfield destroyer he is it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking he’s not the most mobile or athletic. That he most certainly is not. On the day he galloped across the pitch majestically, made numerous crucial recovery challenges and showed his elegance on the ball with some clever press evading and driving out of the back.

As for players off the pitch there was no room for Eddie Nketiah, the story of his season. When Alexandre Lacazette was the starting centre-forward and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued to play on the left, there was scope for introductions for the striker as a substitute later on in matches.

He featured in some capacity in 12 of the opening 14 matches, scoring just the once, and failing to excite. The Europa League group stages were better outings for him as he netted three times, but hopes he could force his way into the starting lineup in the league dissipated following his performances from the season before.

With Brighton struggling for goals, a loan move in the January transfer window to a club such as them made absolute sense. He wasn’t getting the minutes at Arsenal, wasn’t going to either, and taking advantage of fellow sides’ desperation in the winter should have been the answer.

Nketiah stayed and barely touched the turf, with his time at Arsenal now coming to an end. With there still to be definite interest in a penalty box predator such as Nketiah, Brighton have returned to the fold with fresh summer interest.

As per south coast based journalist Aden-Jay Wood, it could be some of the most welcome news Arsenal will have all summer.

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