Arsenal have been dealt with a major blow in their pursuit of Real Betis playmaker Nabil Fekir, who is favouring an extended stay in Spain.
A recent report from Transfer Market Web has offered an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Nabil Fekir. The 28-year-old Real Betis playmaker was one of the club’s main targets in the upcoming January transfer window, with the club tracking his progress for a long time.
However, it appears Arsenal’s pursuit of Fekir might not be successful, as the player is favouring a prolonged stay at Real Betis. Indeed, the French playmaker is happy with life in Spain and is expected to pen a new deal that will extend his current contract that expires in 2023.
Formerly of Lyon, Fekir joined Real Betis back in 2019. He joined the club for a fee of just €20 million – a move that has turned out to be a bargain for the Spanish giants, as the player has provided consistent performances in La Liga since.
While Fekir’s tally of 15 goals and 17 assists in 89 competitive appearances may seem underwhelming, his overall contributions have been far greater. Indeed, the 28-year-old playmaker has significantly modified his game since his move to Spain, appearing to be more of a creative string-puller than a dynamic attacker who can bombard the flanks.
It has decreased his productivity going forward, but the Frenchman is a much more complete playmaker. His progress at Betis has not gone unnoticed either, with Arsenal considering him as an ideal reinforcement option in the upcoming January transfer window.
Although enjoying a net positive season under Mikel Arteta so far, the Gunners are desperate to further remodel their squad in January. They are particularly keen on offloading Nicolas Pepe, who has struggled to live up to his expectations at the Emirates after joining the club for a record fee. However, he is courted by AC Milan, and one would expect Arsenal to sanction a sale should the Rossoneri meet their demands.
The addition of a talented figure like Fekir, in that regard, may have been an ideal piece of business from Arsenal’s perspective. The 28-year-old Frenchman, after all, brings a wealth of experience at the highest level of football as well as adding that winning mentality to the table.
But with the former Lyon attacker likely to prolong his career at Betis, Arsenal may have to set their sights on other alternatives. They are one of the clubs reportedly in contention to sign Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio in January, but they are expected to face stiff competition from other clubs across Europe.
