Report: Arteta really wants ‘incredible’ player at Arsenal and bid is now being prepared

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is personally a big fan of Leicester City’s James Maddison, the Guardian report.

Arteta backing

Arsenal have been linked with an ambitious move for Maddison for weeks now, and it seems that they could step up their chase.

Arsenal are apparently willing to offer Leicester money and a player in the hope of signing their playmaker, with those claims first broke by Football London.

Interestingly, Maddison is apparently open to a move to the Emirates Stadium – despite Arsenal having no European football on offer and the Gunners finishing behind Leicester for the last two seasons.

And it seems that Arteta is the man driving Arsenal’s interest in the number 10.

Arteta apparently feels that addition of Maddison, who was hailed as ‘incredible’ by Brentford boss Thomas Frank last season (Evening Standard), would seriously enhance his options in the final third.

Arsenal have indeed been chasing a creator all summer, with moves for Emiliano Buendia and Martin Odegaard tipped.

Number 10 needed

Buendia has since moved to Aston Villa, and it now seems that Arsenal have narrowed it down to between Odegaard and Maddison.

Odegaard does, of course, know the club well after spending part of last season on loan with Arteta’s side.

But Maddison has more Premier League experience and he may be the more tempting option if a deal is possible.