Eduardo Camavinga joins Arsenal list of dream targets

Everybody wants to sign Eduardo Camavinga this summer transfer window. If Arsenal weren’t among the sides interested then you’d have to seriously question their scouting department, even if the competition for his signature is outrageous.

Setting up for the summer, expectations may not have been quite so high. Everyone understood the outstanding volume of work to be undertaken, but was it going to be more Ryan Fraser’s or were we looking at Nicolas Pepe’s?

Early murmurings began with Granit Xhaka’s impending departure and the pursuit of Emi Buendia. Things have gradually escalated since and now Arsenal fans are seeing potential additions in the form of Ben White on a huge £50m deal, as well as even higher figures around the arrival of a potential playmaker in James Maddison.

In between all of that, there were ever so slight links to Eduardo Camavinga. So early into the summer they were directly pushed away as transfer nonsense. After all, the biggest clubs in Europe have been chasing the 18-year-old’s signature and all of them can provide the golden chalice of Champions League football.

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Eduardo Camavinga joins Arsenal list of dream targets as Gunners’ priority summer transfer, although that doesn’t mean much

Not to mention, he will cost a few quid.

As Arsenal seek to revolutionise their midfield, there are few options on the continent that would excite quite like the Frenchman. Indeed, the need for experience in that area of the pitch, the like that could hit the ground running – hence why Ruben Neves links made sense – would dictate that Camavinga perhaps wouldn’t represent the best use of resources.

Arsenal just underwent a season of development with talents like Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka cementing their places as starting options for the coming season, thus more ‘project’ signings weren’t the ideal profiles.

Looking at those in their early 20’s, with experience but also with scope for further development and who will retain their value further into their Arsenal careers are those needed to form this significant squad rebuild.

Camavinga, however, is different.

The desire for a talent of his is normal. It isn’t all that often that someone can take on a PSG side at the age of 16, one littered with talents such as Kylian Mbappe, Angel di Maria and Marco Verratti and school them all. He announced himself in spectacular fashion.

This prodigy has continued to make gigantic strides, adding glamour to the defensive midfield position in a way few can. N’Golo Kante has popularised the role and helped give it the commendation it warrants in the modern era, but Camavinga is helping fly that flag.

Despite the seemingly impossible nature of securing his transfer, the links haven’t dissipated, no matter how unlikely they are to have much legs.

Continued…

Eduardo Camavinga the ‘Priority’ for Arsenal

The same French journalist who announced the interest earlier in the window, Alexis Bernard, has followed up with more updates, stating that Camavinga remains the Gunners’ ‘priority’ and that work has been taking place behind the scenes for the past two months.

How believable is that? And how believable is the follow up that PSG might struggle to secure the deal as their budget will be limited if they secure Achraf Hakimi’s signature for around £60m? You do wonder.

It’s not healthy to become too attached to such eventualities. They can so often result in disappointment.

In Arsenal’s case, they have surprised a few people already this window with the apparent size of the good ol’ war chest. Talk of £250m being made available, with the help of this Barclays loan, and strong links to players who will cost upwards of £50m does add some strength to the claims, although it remains unlikely.

Should there be an opportunity for Arsenal to bring Camavinga in however, then they must do it. This young man is on a different planet. A dream signing.

Questioning whether or not Arsenal need more ‘project’ signings for the coming Premier League season, the argument is there that Camavinga isn’t one. Yes, he’s only 18, has a lot to learn and is yet to play outside of boyhood club Rennes, but sometimes talent speaks for itself and already breaking numerous records and featuring for the French senior side, the world is watching on at a unique young man.

Despite his frame, his tackling numbers are utterly insane. In every third of the pitch his exceptional athleticism and stamina are nuisance, registering tackles everywhere that are 93rd percentile worthy or higher. He carries the ball at varying lengths with regular success, boasting the silkiness to his technique unlike anything seen in holding midfielders, let alone of his age.

A first touch to drool over and an accuracy of pass so natural you’d think he was 28. It’s almost unfair.

It’s often said that No. 6’s are at their best when you don’t know they’re there. There is not a single game that goes by where Camavinga isn’t playing a starring role. He’s everywhere.

Being left-footed, young, hungry, an Arsenal fan apparently, and destined for the top, his arrival in north London would be the most prized of all. How obtainable it is depends on one’s willingness to get lost in the rumours.

Arsenal may be dreaming and so are their fans. Some fantasies never get played out, though.