Arsenal may have to splash somewhere around €30 million to acquire the services of Real Betis playmaker Nabil Fekir this summer.
An exclusive report from Goal has shed some light on Arsenal’s transfer pursuit of Nabil Fekir. The Gunners are monitoring the Real Betis star as their desired alternative for Martin Odegaard, who does remain the transfer priority for the club, with his loan contract expiring at the end of the season.
It is believed that Fekir is keen on a move away from the Benito Villamarin, while Real Betis themselves will have to offload a few players in light of the financial crisis inflicted by the pandemic. Although the player does have a €90 million release clause tied to his contract, Betis are looking at somewhere around €30 million for the Frenchman this summer.
Fekir has enjoyed sort of a revival during his time in Spain, having starred in Manuel Pellegrini’s creative unit. He was notably involved in 14 goals last season and has maintained a similar form in the ongoing campaign, netting three goals while providing six assists.
The 27-year-old’s contributions in the final third have helped Real Betis compete with the likes of Sevilla and Real Sociedad for a top four finish in La Liga this season. It also appears to have attracted the interest of Arsenal, who are desperate for a number ten in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Gunners were in need of a new playmaker even in January when they offloaded Mesut Ozil to Fenerbahce. As such, they roped in Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid.
The Norwegian international has since done a marvellous job, adding spark to the Arsenal attack with his creative prowess upfront. Fekir, though, may not provide similar qualities, especially when it comes to carrying the ball across half-spaces and swiftly dribbling past opposing players.
However, the Frenchman does offer a lot of proficiency from set-pieces as well as the ability to pick out key passes in and around the final third. Having won the FIFA World Cup with France, the 27-year-old can also bring the experience as well as the winning mentality to the table. For a fee of just €30 million, Fekir serves as an ideal cost-effective alternative for Odegaard as well for Arsenal.
The fate of these two players, though, could largely depend on Real Madrid’s valuation of their star player, knowing Arsenal are likely to pounce on anything in the range of €50 million.
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It leaves Fekir as a mere outsider – an option only to be considered when Arsenal are completely priced out of a move for their current on-loan playmaker. The Frenchman, though, should find no shortage of suitors, with Barcelona among the clubs reportedly keeping a close eye on the Betis midfielder this summer.
