Contact made: Berta leading talks as Arsenal prepare to offer €45m in January for target | OneFootball

Arsenal are looking to improve the midfield unit with the signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. 

According to a report from The Mirror, they have already initiated contact with the player’s representatives regarding a January transfer, and they are ready to pay €45 million for him. However, the French outfit is not keen on sanctioning the departure.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool are monitoring his situation as well. Andrea Berta is currently leading discussions to sign the player, and it remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Lille could demand around €50 million for Bouaddi, and the Premier League clubs certainly have the financial muscle to get the deal done. The 18 year-old is a promising young player with a bright future, and he could justify the outlay in the long-term. The opportunity to play in the Premier League could be tempting for him. However, he should look to join a club where he will play regularly.

Arsenal could use Bouaddi

Ayyoub Bouaddi in action for Lille against Bologna (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

Arsenal are among the biggest clubs in the world, and they have an attractive project. They are fighting for major trophies regularly. They could use more technical ability in the middle of the park, and the 18-year-old could be the ideal fit for them. However, they have a quality midfield unit at their disposal, and the French under-21 international might not be a guaranteed starter for them. It will be interesting to see if the player is willing to accept the role of a squad player.

Ideally, he should look to play every week at this stage of his career. Sitting on the bench at a big club could be detrimental to his development. He is a tremendous talent and he will have plenty of opportunities to play for bigger clubs in future, if he manages to fulfil his potential.