Arsenal were unable to sign a winger in the summer transfer window, despite the clear need to strengthen in the wide areas. Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have a lot of pressure to perform until the next opportunity to address this area of the pitch opens.
One player who the club were looking to sign in the winter transfer window was Mykhaylo Mudryk. However, the Gunners suffered a huge blow in their pursuit as Chelsea hijacked a deal when Arsenal were finally advancing in their negotiations.
Edu must search for alternatives in January. One player the club are reportedly looking to sign before the January 31 deadline is Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen.
READ MORE: Edu can exact perfect Mykhaylo Mudryk revenge on Chelsea with Arsenal £100m Serie A transfer
According to Sky Germany, Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby is a topic at Arsenal. The 23-year-old Frenchman is still under contract with the Bundesliga side until 2025, so it could be an expensive deal.
According to ESPN journalist James Olley, Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen and Villareal are all interested in signing Cedric in January. The report goes on to claim that no formal bid has been made yet, but Fulham are pushing hard, with the player being permitted to move.
Edu could use Leverkusen’s interest to improve Arteta’s squad. Earlier last season, SportBILD reported that Arsenal identified Diaby as the player who could be the ideal Pepe replacement. Bayer Leverkusen reportedly asked for €100million (£84million) for the French International. BILD added that should Diaby force a move elsewhere, the figure could drop to €75million (£63million) instead.
The Frenchman has scored two goals in Europe this season. His most recent strike against European powerhouses Atletico Madrid proved pivotal as it kept Bayer Leverkusen’s hopes of remaining in Europe alive going into the last matchday, as they managed to qualify for the Europa League knockout stage.
The 22-year-old also enjoyed a strong season last campaign, having scored 17 goals and providing 14 assists in all competitions. He would certainly be a quality signing for Arsenal and failing to sign Mudryk means that Diaby would be an ideal alternative.
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