Arsenal eyeing move for West Ham right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Arsenal are exploring the possibility of signing West Ham United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka this summer, according to The Daily Mail.
The Gunners have had a quiet summer transfer window, and they have yet to make an outfield signing, barring the permanent transfer of Piero Hincapie after his season-long loan.
Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis is poised to join this week, but the club’s faithful expect more activity, particularly after Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League title.
The Daily Mail claim that the Gunners are looking for defensive reinforcements. Wan-Bissaka is one of the names being considered by the club, but not at the £25 million asking price.
Arsenal could still pursue a deal for Wan-Bissaka
The Gunners currently have Ben White and Jurrien Timber as their specialist right-backs. They started their careers as central defenders, but have mainly played on the right at Arsenal.
White sustained a knee injury during the final weeks of last season, but the England international has personally confirmed that he has recovered well ahead of the upcoming friendlies.
Timber, on the other hand, is still rehabilitating from a nagging groin problem. The Dutchman said that he could return ‘very soon‘, but he remains doubtful ahead of the new campaign.
Manager Mikel Arteta would ideally want another specialist right-back in the squad, given Cristhian Mosquera is a central defender and has not looked the most convincing as a full-back.
This could pave the way for Arsenal to pursue a deal for Wan-Bissaka. The 28-year-old is one of the best right-backs when it comes to one-on-one duels and has excelled with his tackling too.
The former Manchester United man has also improved with his attacking output. He has made more overlapping runs during his time at West Ham, and has 10 goal contributions in 65 games for the Championship outfit.
With five years left on his contract, £25m appears a reasonable fee for a player still in his prime. He would provide adequate cover for Arsenal in the right-back department during the upcoming season.
In our view, the Gunners should acknowledge the inflated nature of the current transfer market. A proposal worth £20m plus £5m in add-ons should convince West Ham to sell Wan-Bissaka.
