Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Wise to Pursue Move for Cheikhou Kouyate

Arsenal are reportedly tracking Anderlecht defender Cheikhou Kouyate about a potential move over the summer transfer window, according to latest reports.

And whilst Kouyate is nowhere near the biggest name linked with a move to the North London club this summer, manager Arsene Wenger would be wise to look seriously at trying to bring the 23-year-old defended to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

The news comes via the Daily Mirror:

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Senegal defender Cheikhou Kouyate admits joining Arsenal would be a dream move for him this summer. Kouyate, also a target for Paris Saint-Germain, claims the Gunners have been watching him and says he would love to move to the EPL.

He told a Belgian newspaper: "I am happy here but if Arsenal called me to go to London I would have no doubt about going. I hear they have asked for some information on me from the last few months..."

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Kouyate is a tall, strong defender who is also capable of playing in the midfield and would make an excellent signing for the Gunners this summer.

Arsenal do need to bring in some assistance in defensive midfield this season, with the likes of Abou Diaby and Aaron Ramsey simply unable to match the production levels of Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere. And whilst Kouyate might not bring that straight away, he is certainly a talented individual who possesses great on-ball skill in both midfield and defense.

Standing at 6'3", Kouyate brings a great presence in the air and has shown to be more than capable of getting forward and hurting opponents for Anderlecht. Moreover, he possess great speed to go with his height and would be a great player for the Gunners to try and sign for the future—especially if his market value is going to keep rising as it has done so far.

Transfermarkt currently list Kouyate as costing just under £6 million, with his value almost doubling since the start of January 2012. If Arsenal could get in this summer and nab him—before that value gets even higher—they'd have done a great bit of business for having snared a potential star.

Kouyate has already had Champions League and Olympic Games experience, so he knows what it takes to compete on the biggest stages in the world.

As shown in the quote above, the 23-year-old is keen to move to Arsenal if the offer comes in, and he would no doubt be a great guy to have in the squad. 

If not, he'd be an excellent player to able to send out on loan for a year or two and allow his development and footballing skills to continue even more.

If the rumors are true, then Arsenal should continue to pursue a move for Kouyate this summer, with the Senegalese international possessing the potential to become the club's next big thing.

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