Arsenal transfer business hints at Yves Bissouma stance

Arsenal are making inroads this summer to sign a plethora of players, with a key focus on central midfield where above all other positions there is set to be the most substantial overhaul. With numerous outgoings and an imminent incoming, where does that leave Yves Bissouma?

Throughout Arsene Wenger’s years in charge every summer the buzzword tended to be ‘prospect’. Signings would walk through the doors with bags of potential, similarly to Albert Sambi Lokonga who is shortly due to become an Arsenal player.

Two bids have been lodged (just the one according to some sources) but the intricacies of the deal are mostly irrelevant as soon enough the Belgian will become the Gunners’ first signing of the summer.

Rumours have been circling throughout the window around the midfield department. Joe Willock’s future remains a source of discussion and there will be no assurances of Arsenal’s stance until someone offers their supposed valuation, while Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are a matter of when, not if.

https://twitter.com/Yves_Bissouma/status/1400433588835860482

Arsenal transfer business hints at Yves Bissouma stance with Albert Lokonga and AFCON likely to impact move for Brighton midfielder

The same applies for Granit Xhaka as Mikel Arteta’s side stand firm on their asking price, leaving a pretty threadbare selection in the centre of the pitch.

Mohamed Elneny could well stay – which wouldn’t be a total disaster – Thomas Partey is going nowhere and set to don his preferred No. 5 next season, with Lokonga adding to the numbers.

What about Yves Bissouma then? The links are strong and have been prevalent for a considerable length of time, only to since go a bit cold, like the divine weather London is currently experiencing in what is supposed to be summer.

Most of the adoration for Bissouma appears to be fan driven. Across the club’s support a large contingent are pining for the Malian to be signed this summer off the back of another excellent individual campaign for Brighton. Instead, Arsenal seem more focused on the man who partnered Bissouma in midfield on occasion, Ben White.

Seeing a plethora of midfielders’ names in the same headline as ‘Arsenal’, there appears to be a strong lack of a certain 24-year-old among them. Before the window opened it seemed for all the world as if Partey’s new partner would be making the short journey north.

Nicolas Pepe, close friends with his former Lille teammate, was even jokingly stated to have been giving him the Emirates Stadium tour on the final day of the Premier League season when the Seagulls were beaten 2-0.

However, it doesn’t look like happening, and you can understand why.

Continued…