Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Reportedly Interested in Ki Sung-Yeung

Fresh off their recent acquisition of Santi Cazorla from Malaga, Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung from Celtic.

The Gunners scouts are believed to have been keeping a close watch on the 23-year-old, who has been dubbed as the South Korean version of England international Steven Gerrard.

Per The Daily Mail:

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Arsenal are plotting a shock move for Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-yeung after rubber-stamping their £16.5million move for Santi Cazorla.

Gunners spies were alerted to the South Korea international’s talents while on scouting assignments in Scotland last season.

Crucially, influential chief scout Steve Rowley rates Ki — who would be available for around £9million —very highly and will recommend the energetic midfielder to manager Arsene Wenger.

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Arsenal are also believed to be interested in the Korean's Celtic teammate Victor Wanyama, who is likely to cost the club around the same price should they pursue a move. The club will have had the opportunity to watch Sung-yeung play first-hand whilst they were scouting Wanyama (per The Daily Mail).

However, with the Gunners midfield already full of exciting talent and depth for next season, one must question as to whether a move for the Korean midfielder is needed at all. 

With the inclusion of Santi Cazorla, Arsenal's starting side is likely to exclude at times the likes of Gervinho, Mikel Arteta, Alex Song, Luke Wilshere, Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain and so the addition of another midfielder doesn't seem as needed.

Wanyama would be a better avenue to pursue because of the defensive element that he would bring to the Gunners and could help to rectify some of the defensive issues that occurred last season.

That's not to say that Ki Sung-Yeung isn't a fantastic player in his own right and a talent that we're sure to hear more of over the next few years, I just can't see the Gunners spending the money on him because they really don't need him.

Not yet, anyway.