Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Must Scrap for Munir El Haddadi Signing

Barcelona's Munir El Haddadi is a special talent. For proof, look no further than his spectacular goal to seal victory in the final of last year's inaugural UEFA Youth League.

While one goal is clearly not enough to comprehensively decide upon a player's potential, a whole swathe of them may just be, and Munir bagged 11 goals in 10 matches throughout last season's competition, per UEFA.

Furthermore, at just 19 years old, the Madrid-born forward has started all three of Barca's La Liga games this season, showing the faith new boss Luis Enrique has in the young star.

As ESPN's Dermot Corrigan points out, he has skipped a step in the natural progression up the Camp Nou ladder:

Munir scored on debut as Barca beat Elche 3-0 on the league's opening weekend and claimed his first cap for the Spanish senior team in Euro 2016 qualifying earlier this month, topping off quite a year for the youngster, per football writer and tactics expert Michael Cox:

Unsurprisingly, various big clubs are now reportedly interested in signing him up, with Arsenal supposedly leading the way, per Jamie Anderson in the Daily Express: 

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Arsenal have struck a deal with Barcelona to sign Spanish starlet Munir El-Haddadi for a modest £9.4m fee. Reports claim the Gunners have met Munir's release clause, and will wrap-up a deal for the coveted youngster in January. 

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However, Barca are reportedly eager to keep their newest star and are confident that he will sign a new contract, per talkSPORT.

Chelsea are also looking in to snapping up the youngster, according to Spanish newspaper Sport, via journalist Henrik Hindby:

Thus it looks as though the Gunners are in for a scrap if they want to sign Munir, but this is a fight worth having as he could be a prize asset for Arsenal in years to come.

Munir would be an ideal signing for Emirates boss Arsene Wenger. Munir has raw potential in abundance that can be honed to perfection by the Frenchman, as he has so often done with young players in the past.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

The La Masia graduate would also fit perfectly into the Gunners' current squad setup. He has great pace and would add to an already terrifyingly fast attack consisting of Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott.

Munir is also incredibly versatile, preferring to play as a main striker—still an area of weakness for the Gunners despite Welbeck's signing—but also able to excel on either flank.

Some will argue that Arsenal already have a strong attacking unit, and Munir would be surplus to requirements.

However, as already mentioned, the depth at centre-forward is not the best, especially compared to their Premier League rivals. Welbeck, an injured Olivier Giroud, and an unproven Yaya Sanogo does not constitute a top-quality strike unit.

A range of options is necessary for a club like Arsenal—who are supposedly aiming to compete domestically and in Europe—and lack of depth has been a major issue of late, injuries seeing the Gunners fall dramatically off the Premier League pace last season.

Furthermore, Munir would be an investment for the future and a very good one. He would get more game time at the Emirates—the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez will limit his minutes at Barca—and could thrive under Wenger.

Though Arsenal will need to fight it out for Munir's signature, it is most certainly a fight worth having. He fits in with Arsenal's style and could be a very important player for years to come.