Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a deal to sign French midfielder Corentin Tolisso from Lyon in the summer.
According to a report in the Daily Mirror, Arsene Wenger is interested in Corentin Tolisso and is set to sanction a deal to bring the Lyon midfielder to Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
Tolisso progressed through the ranks at Lyon’s setup before making the grade in the senior side. A regular fixture in the first-team setup for more than three seasons now, the player has established himself as a regular in the side and has been instrumental to Bruno Genesio’s plans.
The Mirror claim Arsene Wenger is keen on Lyon’s £30m rated midfielder Corentin Tolisso. #Arsenal #ol pic.twitter.com/xGNovoCfls
— Gurjit (@GurjitAFC) May 17, 2017
Tolisso has notched up 46 appearances across all competitions for Lyon this season, finding the back of the net on 14 occasions while also providing 6 assists – a healthy return for a player who mostly plies his trade in the centre of the park.
With the World Cup set to be played in the summer of 2018, the 22-year-old is eager to boost his chances of making the cut in France’s squad for the tournament. As a result, he is ready to quit Lyon this summer and move to a bigger club in Europe.
Arsene Wenger is believed to be closely monitoring Tolisso’s situation at Lyon. He is reportedly set to make a move for the player when the transfer window opens in June as he plans a major squad overhaul in the summer following the failures of his side this season.
Midfield, in particular, has been a major problem area for the Gunners, with none of the midfielders at Wenger’s disposal managing to perform consistently this season, although Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey seem to be forging a strong partnership at the centre of the park.
However, beyond the duo, the likes of Francis Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny have blown hot and cold, while midfield lynchpin Santi Cazorla has been sidelined for the majority of the season with an Achilles injury.
On top of that, Jack Wilshere – who is on a season-long loan spell at Bournemouth – has his Arsenal future mired in uncertainty. Hence, Wenger has a pressing need to recruit a top quality midfielder, this summer.
While Tolisso is not the most adept defensively, his passing and finishing abilities will help Wenger fill the huge void left by Cazorla’s absence. And at 22, he has the potential to become a long-term solution at the heart of midfield for Arsenal.
The report states that the North London club will have to shell out £30 million to prise Tolisso away from Lyon in the summer. The likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Juventus have also been linked with the player, and it remains to be seen if they are able to land him in Arsenal’s stead.
