Arsenal: Ilaix Moriba Barca development a transfer invitation

It’s a profound story around Barcelona’s current situation. A tale of mismanagement so dire you’d need to pinch yourself upon hearing of it. They are a club in financial disarray and if you’re Arsenal, you’re taking note.

A month into the summer transfer window and Arsenal are yet to sign anyone, although the shirt aloft signing photos are just around the corner.

Youth players like Arthur Okonkwo and Kido Talyor-Hart are exciting contract extensions. They follow a trend in north London that is more than welcome to stay.

As for actual new signings, Nuno Tavares is down to be the Gunners’ first of this summer and Albert Sambi Lokonga is not far behind. Two solid acquisitions but neither whom will be making a major impression on the first team next season.

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Arsenal: Ilaix Moriba Barcelona development a transfer invitation for Mikel Arteta to explore in the summer transfer window

While additions to make an immediate impact, especially in midfield, are essential for the coming campaign, that doesn’t mean Arsenal should stop short when it comes to ‘prospect‘ purchases. Especially not when they’re going to be available on the cheap and have risen through none other than the famed La Masia.

Barcelona, crippled with over £1bn worth of debt, are incredibly stupid. No other way of describing it. With unpaid loans and transfer fees owed they still decided to take out more loans to buy the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Phillipe Coutinho for over £100m each, three players who have not contributed anywhere near enough to warrant their outlays.

There are more strings to their rotten bow but in need of removing astronomical wages off their bill in order to fund a new Lionel Messi contract, keep within La Liga laws, continue existing and actually register the new players they’ve brought in, sales and loan moves out of the club are paramount.

Big earners such as Frenkie de Jong would, of course, be the most welcome of all now there is a genuine possibility of tough decisions like those being made, but he’s also not going to join Arsenal over others.

Further down the first team pecking order there are more options to explore and few are as enticing as Ilaix Moriba.

As confirmed by Dermot Corrigan, the 18-year-old has not been called back to pre-season training as a contract stand-off between player and club has left his Blaugrana career in limbo. Moriba is out of contract in 2022 with reports in Spain, including RAC1, claiming the teenager’s representatives have laid out a list of demands that Barca deem ‘unacceptable’.

This is Arsenal’s chance at a roll of the dice.

Continued…