Arsenal reportedly want £26m-rated star that Giroud tried to lure to Chelsea in 2018
Arsenal are reportedly keeping tabs on Real Betis attacker and World Cup winner Nabil Fekir this summer. It is claimed that the Gunners hierarchy ‘like’ the Frenchman, and that he would be keen on a move. Back in 2018, Olivier Giroud admitted he tried to convince Fekir to join Chelsea.
Fekir, 27, came within an inch of moving to the Premier League in 2018 – but not to Arsenal or Chelsea. Liverpool were close to completing a deal, only for it to collapse at the last minute. Fekir remained at Lyon for another season, before Real Betis paid £18million to land the French attacker.
That was in 2019, but his two seasons with the La Liga side have been poor – scoring just 12 goals in 71 games. Real Betis will sell Fekir if offers of £26million are tabled. Goal reported Charles Watts comments on a potential move for Fekir on his YouTube channel – confirming Arsenal like him.
“Another player that they like that plays in that sort of creative area is Nabil Fekir. He’s over in Spain at the moment with Betis. He would absolutely be keen on a move, not just to Arsenal, but to the Premier League – he missed out on his big move to Liverpool before,” Watts said, as relayed by TBR.
While his future was one of the major talking points of the 2018 summer window, Giroud admitted he tried to get him at Chelsea. The French striker, who had just left Arsenal to join Chelsea in January of that year – admitted to Goal that he and Eden Hazard had tried to convince Fekir to join Chelsea.
“I spoke to him when his transfer to Liverpool was aborted,” Giroud said, as per Goal in 2018. “After that, it was a question about Chelsea. Even Eden had a couple of words with him. We’d welcome him, he’s a great player and of course we’d welcome him with pleasure.”
Does Fekir improve Arsenal – amid Giroud comments?
At his best, Fekir is Arsenal’s best player. Signing the Frenchman would see him link up with Alexandre Lacazette again – a combination that worked well at Lyon. It would also see Arsenal quickly forget about Martin Odegaard. But if the Fekir of Betis turns up, it is another expensive signing.
Fekir just needs a bit of confidence. Playing alongside better players at Arsenal will certainly do that, if he can find a rhythm in the 10 role, in front of the likes of Thomas Partey and another midfielder. But that increased quality could see Fekir’s confidence worsen. It is a gamble, at £26million.
