Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Sofiane Boufal and Daley Blind Rumours

Arsenal will reportedly face plenty of stiff competition for the signature of Lille’s Sofiane Boufal, with Barcelona said to be among the teams chasing the Moroccan.

That’s according to Ed Aarons of the Guardian, who added that aside from the two aforementioned clubs, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are also looking at the winger, who excelled in Ligue 1 last term. Boufal grabbed 11 goals and four assists in the French top flight.

“We did have a meeting with the leadership of FC Barcelona in the last few weeks,” the player’s agent, Yvan Le Mee, told Le 10 Sport (h/t Aarons) on Saturday. “There is an interest.”

Interest from Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur is also noted. However, Aarons makes it clear that only Arsenal and Chelsea have shown a willingness to meet Lille’s asking price of £19.6 million for the attacker. Here is a look at why they could command that kind of fee:

As these numbers OptaJean noted at the back end of last season indicate, Boufal is one of the trickiest dribblers in European football:

During the previous term, Boufal operated in a variety of positions behind the striker. The 22-year-old has shown he's adept at finding space between the lines and that he is happy to commit defenders. The Moroccan also has an eye for a pass, a trait that’d no doubt appeal to technical outfits like the Gunners and the Blagurana.

While he has the natural talent to play for a club such as Barcelona, as noted by Aarons on Twitter, a move to the Camp Nou could stifle his development:

Indeed, there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to the youngster. Boufal needs to strike a better consistency with his decision-making and show a little more work rate off the ball if he’s to play for an elite side. They’re attributes that could be cultivated by playing regular football. As such, he must choose his next destination carefully.

Daley Blind Linked with Gunners

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According to Steve Bates of the Sunday People (h/t the Sunday Mirror) Arsenal are ready to test Manchester United’s willingness to keep Daley Blind at Old Trafford.

It’s noted in the piece that Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho is unsure about whether he has a place for the Dutchman, said to be valued at around £16 million, in his squad and that the Gunners have emerged as suitors.

Bleacher Report’s Rob Blanchette doesn’t see a future for Blind at Old Trafford given the kind of attributes Mourinho looks for in his players:

However, there are obvious merits to the Oranje star. The partnership Blind struck up at centre-back with Chris Smalling at Old Trafford last term was a big positive from Louis van Gaal’s time in charge.

Blind is evidently a cerebral footballer too, able to spot danger, position himself wisely and use the ball effectively. It’s those qualities that allow him to excel in so many different roles on the field, having featured at left-back and in midfield for the Red Devils too.

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Football journalist Liam Canning thinks the Dutchman is a useful player to have in the squad given his versatility:

Arsenal could certainly do with a player of his ilk. Blind still has his best years ahead of him, and given the manner in which the Gunners play, he’d be ideal to fill in at the back or in other positions mentioned. Manager Arsene Wenger could add cover to a lot of different areas by bringing the 26-year-old in.

Blind wouldn’t immediately be a huge upgrade on any player in the Arsenal squad, but over the course of a long season, he could well prove to be worth a £16 million investment.