Arsenal reportedly eyeing Veretout, but should the Gunners be aiming higher?

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Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Fiorentina’s Jordan Veretout as a possible replacement for the outgoing Aaron Ramsey.

French publication Le Foot (via The Metro) claim Unai Emery is ready to make a move for the midfielder with Welsh star Ramsey heading for Juventus.

Veretout will be a name familiar to some English football fans, after he had a short spell with Aston Villa a few years ago.

He made 29 appearances for the Midlands club in the 2015/16 season, and was then loaned out to Saint-Etienne for the 2016/17 campaign. He was then sold to Fiorentina for €7 million (£6.25 million, via The Birmingham Mail) after failing to impress.

Apparently Veretout is available for £25 million, but could the Gunners be aiming higher?

TBR’s view

Following his previously underwhelming stint in the Premier League, £25 million seems a little steep.

Admittedly, the player has improved since moving to Serie A and is a regular for Fiorentina, but Arsenal can surely be showing a little more ambition.

Arsenal are losing a big player in Ramsey and surely fans want to see someone with a greater reputation than Veretout come in and replace him.

Of course, Arsenal’s activites in the transfer market this summer will be dictated a lot by whether or not they qualify for the Champions League.

Arguably if they do seal a return to Europe’s most prestigious club competition, Veretout would not make for a convincing signing in the eyes of the supporters.