Arsenal transfer stance on Nabil Fekir revealed after reported bid

Arsenal and their hunt for a playmaker this summer has seen them linked with vast array of talent across the continent, ranging from the ambitious to the arbitrary. Among those are Nabil Fekir, who the Gunners have had on their list.

Martin Odegaard is the name on Mikel Arteta and Edu’s lips. If it was possible, you get the feeling he’d already be back in north London right now doing his photoshoots for the new kit. As it stands, any pursuit for the Norwegian is set to be either expensive or just plain futile, however.

Emi Buendia is water under the bridge and in the case of Arsenal failing to land their number on target the list of options will be worked towards. Nabil Fekir is one such option, mentioned back in March as someone the Gunners had real interest towards but were yet to make a formal approach.

Reports emanating from Spain suggested that said interest had taken its next step as AS reported that Arsenal had made an offer for the Frenchman, one that was deemed unacceptable by Real Betis.

Arsenal transfer stance on Nabil Fekir revealed after reported bid for Real Betis playmaker in summer transfer window

The offer was deemed ‘far from’ the amount the side were after, with no mention of whether it was rejected or if a new one was going to arrive. No further mention of the size of the offer followed, largely due to it being utter baloney.

Goal’s Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts has since revealed that there has been no bid from Arsenal’s part for Fekir, contrary to reports. In this instance it’s a fairly straightforward choice on who to believe.

That doesn’t mean one won’t follow, however. Arsenal have an extensive list of playmaker options that they will move for if there is no success in the Odegaard department, and Fekir remains an option.

As of yet, the stance on Fekir is no different to what it was previously with the Gunners not firming up their interest since some there were some informal discussions earlier in the year. Still being monitored, whether or not Arsenal firm up their interest will depend on how other pursuits fare.

Should they be pushing harder for Fekir?

Continued…

Arsenal Should Move Away From Nabil Fekir

Given Arsenal’s stance not shifting since their previous interest, it’s clear that Fekir is not high up on their wishlist. As with a whole host of players across the world, he’s being watched but it seems no more than that.

As a profile, he suits. Excellent close-control dribbling is a valuable attacking tool as he averages 4.91 SCA per 90 – the dribbling actions of those sitting him in the 97th percentile. Diminutive and technical, his aesthetically pleasing style is backed up statistically with a 94% dribbling completion and 91st percentile for passes under pressure.

Someone who can fulfill a few positions – No. 10 or playing wide right – is also of huge benefit to Arsenal as the squad size is trimmed to match no European football, which Fekir would fulfill.

However, Fekir is not the kind of signing Arsenal should be making if they want to reinforce that area of the pitch.

A talented playmaker he is, but everything else around the deal wouldn’t constitute smart planning. Simply from an age standpoint, he will be 28 by the time next season begins and if the club are going to sign someone at that age then they must be elite. Equally, they need to be a player that you are fully committed towards, which Arsenal aren’t.

The club also can’t be looking at players they should have signed three or four years ago. The Fekir case has moved on, so should Arsenal. For the money it will take to lure him away from La Liga Arsenal can secure talent of a similar quality with far greater room for development.