Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Mario Lemina and Alban Lafont

Arsenal have reportedly sent scouts to Juventus matches on multiple occasions this season to track the development of midfielder Mario Lemina.

According to Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia), the Gunners, Schalke 04 and Leicester City are all fans of the Gabon international, who has been a regular for the Bianconeri this term.

The 23-year-old has been a part of all of Juve’s wins this season in Serie A, with the only game he missed the 2-1 loss to Inter Milan. Yet it’s anticipated that once Claudio Marchisio is fit again, Lemina will be relegated to a fringe position in Turin.

The combative midfielder joined Juventus permanently from Marseille ahead of the campaign, although it’s suggested the Italian champions could recoup close to double the €10 million (£9 million) they parted with to secure him. Here’s a look at why:

Evidently there is a lot to like about Lemina. The former Marseille man is a multifaceted talent, able to find pockets of space between the lines, distribute capably and carry the ball forward, too. Physically and technically, he possesses a lot of quality, and he would be a key man at most clubs in European football.

However, at Juve, manager Massimiliano Allegri has Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira and Marchisio to call upon already. 

Arsenal may be able to offer more minutes with that in mind. But their own summer midfield capture, Granit Xhaka, has also enjoyed an excellent start to life at the Emirates Stadium. Squawka Football provided the numbers behind it:

If Lemina were to leave Juve, it would surely be to a team where first-team football is guaranteed. That’s not an assurance Arsenal could provide at this juncture given the quality they have in this area.

What the Juventus man may do is continue to battle for a spot in the side in Turin. His early-season performances have cemented his status as the main deputy in this area, and over the course of a long campaign, he’ll get plenty of chances to impress.

Alban Lafont Set for New Deal

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According to Le 10 Sport (h/t Tom Coast of Sport Witness), Toulouse are to offer 17-year-old goalkeeper Alban Lafont another new contract, as they’re concerned about interest from Arsenal.

Per L’Equipe (h/t Coast), the Gunners have reportedly been keeping a close eye on the stopper following his strong start to the season. With that in mind, the Ligue 1 side want to secure his future further with extended terms despite that fact he agreed his first-ever senior contract in June.

Lafont is one of the emerging stars in Ligue 1 and was especially impressive in keeping a clean sheet against Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the season. Here’s a look at why there’s so much hype surrounding the teenage stopper:

As we can see here, Bleacher Report's Andrew Gibney is a big fan and is hoping to see the youngster remain in Ligue 1:

Arsenal aren’t in immediate need of a new goalkeeper. In Petr Cech, they have a wonderful first choice, while David Ospina has shown on numerous occasions he possesses the talent to be a strong reserve.

However, any pursuit of Lafont would surely be with the future in mind. For the time being, the youngster would be wise to remain at Toulouse and continue playing regular football in a competitive division. Provided he continues building on the standards already set, European football’s juggernauts will be lining up to open their doors eventually.