Arsenal ‘ready to battle’ Man Utd for £65m Martinelli replacement from Premier League rivals | OneFootball

Arsenal are prepared to fight Man Utd to sign AFCON winner Iliman Ndiaye from Premier League rivals Everton, according to reports.

The Gunners are having a great season in the Premier League with their 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday maintaining their six-point lead over second-placed Man City, who beat Liverpool 2-1 on Sunday.

Premier League leaders Arsenal fully backed Mikel Arteta in the summer transfer market with over £250m spent on new signings to give the Gunners arguably the best squad in the division.

There’s still room for improvement, though, with Arsenal often labelled as ‘boring’ this season due to their efficient, pragmatic football and many of their goals coming from set-pieces.

Man Utd legend Paul Scholes recently claimed that Arsenal “could be the worst team to win the league” if they emerge as champions this season before claiming he “meant to say the most boring team”.

One player who could inject a lot more excitement and unpredictability into Arteta’s side next season is former Sheffield United attacker Ndiaye, who has four goals and two assists for Everton this season.

Caught Offside claim that Arsenal ‘are ready to battle’ Man Utd for Everton attacker Ndiaye, who can play anywhere behind the striker, as his ‘performances that have not gone unnoticed by some of England’s biggest clubs’.

Tottenham and Chelsea are also credited with interest in Ndiaye but the Senegal international’s contract situation puts Everton ‘in a relatively strong negotiating position’.

The Toffees ‘would look for a fee in the region of €65-75m (£57m-£65m)’ with Ndiaye’s deal at Hill Dickinson Stadium running until June 2029.

One player Ndiaye could replace at Arsenal is Gabriel Martinelli who, despite his importance to Arteta’s side, continues to be linked with a move to the Saudri Pro League.

On his future, Ndiaye said recently: “As long as I’m at Everton, I’ll always give my best for them. And I want to achieve things with Everton, starting with this season and getting into Europe.”

Former Chelsea and Everton winger Pat Nevin reckons the Toffees will be fighting off bids for Ndiaye if he keeps up his form.

Nevin told BBC Sport: “I often think of players who would be even more impressive playing with better sides, teams who have more of the ball and spend more time in the attacking third.

“Watching Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye so far this season, I suspect he could do a phenomenal job if he was playing for Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal, he is that good.

“‌I hope he stays at the Toffees but they might have to fight off bids from the bigger boys soon. Notice I don’t mention Liverpool in the shortlist.

“‌This is not because he isn’t capable but I would rightly have an Evertonian lynch mob after me if I suggested such a thing!”