Arsenal look set to send one of their promising young defenders out on loan ahead of next season. Under-23 prospect Omar Rekik has been linked with a loan move away from the club and a deal now seems to be imminent.
According to Tunisian journalist Walid El Mechri, Rekik will leave Arsenal on loan next season, with the defender having to finalise a deal in the coming days. El Mechri goes on to say that Rekik wants to start summer preparation with his new club to play as many matches as possible in order to secure a place with the Tunisian national team ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
The 20-year-old has been linked with a move to Ligue 1. Arsenal have had success sending their young defenders to this league on a loan move as William Saliba thrived during the last campaign following his year-long move to Marseille.
READ MORE: Matteo Guendouzi proves Mikel Arteta £25m transfer failure is an Arsenal blessing in disguise
Rekik has impressed for the Arsenal Under-23s since arriving from Hertha Berlin in 2021. The 20-year-old has already made his senior debut for the Tunisian national side and featured at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
The latest confirmed interested party is French side Lille according to RMC Sport. The Ligue 1 club have a good relationship with Arsenal after deals for Gervinho, Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Rekik spoke recently about the potential for him to be worth quite the transfer fee in the future. However, pointed out that Arsenal are ‘serious’ about him.
"Of course, it would be a dream to be worth €60million (£51 million) or even more," he said in an interview with Bild. "Because that would mean that I’ve made great athletic development. But sporting success is more valuable to me.
"I don’t have a specific goal. If Arsenal had waited a few months, they would have got me without a transfer fee. Now they have spent so much money on me. I want to repay that with performance. The club is serious about me, and I’m grateful for that."
A loan move for the youngster certainly makes sense if he wants to make the Tunisian World Cup squad with the competition set to take place halfway through the 2022/2023 campaign. He would find game time limited under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
The Gunners are set to have four centre-back’s who would be ahead of Rekik in the pecking order as Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Rob Holding all featured heavily for Mikel Arteta this season. William Saliba is also due to return and is said to be a key part of next season’s plans.
It looks as though Arsenal will have another young defender to keep a close eye on in Ligue 1 next season with Rekik taking the mantle from Saliba.
