Arsenal reportedly keeping tabs on £35m midfielder with 'a lot of attitude'
Arsenal are reportedly keeping tabs on Rodrigo De Paul, a player currently on Copa America duty.
While Europe’s best are competing at Euro 2020, South America’s finest are in action in Brazil.
De Paul is one of those players, on duty with Argentina.
Mikel Arteta is reportedly weighing up new options in midfield ahead of the next Premier League season.
He has already lost Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard, who have returned to parent club Real Madrid.
Arsenal could potentially also lose Granit Xhaka, Matteo Guendouzi and Ainsley Maitland-Niles amid exit links.
Therefore, the Gunners certainly have reason to be looking at new recruits in midfield.
And De Paul – reportedly valued at £35m – is not a bad shout, a player who has shown he’s a cut above at modest Udinese.
“Willing and involved”
To date, he has made 184 appearances for his club, registering 34 goals and 36 assists, and surely it won’t be long before he’s on the move.
De Paul was in action on Monday night, donning the Albiceleste shirt against Chile.
He delivered a decent and hardworking, albeit somewhat unspectacular, display against Chile.
Argentina could only pick up a 1-1 draw against their opponents, and media reaction to De Paul’s display was mixed.
MDZ gave him 5 out of 10 and wrote: “A lot of attitude, as almost always. Little football, as almost always.”
Meanwhile, El Destape wrote: “Bad decisions in midfield, did not help much in attack and made different long passes without precision.
“He lacked connection with his partner, Leandro Paredes.”
Bolavip wrote: “Willing and involved, although very unclear with the ball at his feet.
“More deployment than intelligence and efficiency.”
However, AS recognised that De Paul was likely just fatigued after a long season.
“Better in the first half than in the second,” they wrote. “The fatigue was noticed in Udinese and Argentina noticed it.”
