Arsenal are among the clubs in contention to sign Nabil Fekir, but face stiff competition from Everton and West Ham.
A recent report from Fichajes has offered an update on Nabil Fekir’s current situation at Real Betis. The French playmaker is attracting interest from a few Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Everton and West Ham following an exceptional start to the 2021/22 campaign in Spain.
However, Fekir is likely to pen a new deal with Betis instead of finding a new club in the near future. His current contract at Benito Villamarin expires in 2023, and the playmaker is currently in talks with the club over a new deal. He is expected to remain in Spain unless in the event of a late miracle.
That is unlikely to happen as the former Olympique Lyonnais star is enjoying life at Real Betis at the moment, especially after an excellent start to the campaign. Fekir has scored just one goal and supplied one more in seven games, but his overall influence has been far greater.
As such, the Frenchman’s likely decision to remain in Spain will serve as a massive blow for Arsenal, who are already forecasted to face disappointment in the pursuit of top target Lorenzo Insigne. The Italian international is also set to pen a new deal with Napoli instead of moving to England.
It is apparent that the Gunners are scouring the market for reinforcements in the creative department. The addition of Fekir could have been ideal for the club, as the Real Betis star can offer the experience in an otherwise young creative unit that has lacked productivity going forward.
Arsenal aren’t the only club involved in the race to Fekir, though. For West Ham, the 28-year-old would have been a direct replacement for Jesse Lingard after the Hammers had missed out on the Manchester United playmaker in the summer, even though reports do suggest they are still in the market for the Englishman.
Meanwhile, Everton’s pursuit of Fekir likely stems from their injury crisis while Rafa Benitez is also hoping to improve the overall quality of his creative unit, especially after James Rodriguez’s shocking move to Qatar. But with Fekir set to sign a new deal at Real Betis, the Spaniard will have to set their sights on other alternatives, including AS Roma starlet Gonzalo Villar.
