Arsenal want to sign another defensive midfielder as teenage sensation eyed – report | OneFootball

Arsenal are interested in recruiting the services of NK Kustosija Zagreb midfielder Baye Coulibaly but they will face competition from Getafe, Girona and Red Bull Salzburg for him, according to the Daily Mail.

The 18-year-old Mali youth international caught the eyes of the Gunners and other suitors at the under-17 World Cup last year and was also impressive during the under-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between Mali and Gambia last month.

The Arsenal target is valued at around £5 million by Kustosija, and the North London club are monitoring his situation as they plot a possible transfer swoop.

Coulibaly has established himself as one of the best under-20 defensive midfielders on the planet, but he can also play as a centre-back, with his defensive qualities also attracting the Gunners.

Arsenal are already looking towards the future in the middle of the park as 31-year-old Thomas Partey starts to near the twilight of his career, and the Malian could be the perfect successor for the Ghana international.

Coulibaly has constantly displayed his huge potential at youth level with Mali and has been widely tipped to break into the senior national team soon.

He has also been impressing with Kustosija and is expected to earn a move to one of the bigwigs in the near future.

Arsenal will look to pip competition to his services, but more suitors could emerge in the race for the teenage sensation.

The Gunners have been bolstering their youth ranks with quality additions of recent and are also looking to sign youngsters capable of walking straight into the first-team to bolster the options available to manager Mikel Arteta.

Coulibaly fits that bill and snapping him up could be huge for Arsenal as he has the potential to become one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world in a few years from now.