Arsenal have reportedly been linked with a Bosman move for 18-year-old Barcelona winger Ilias Akhomach.
A report from Sport via Sport Witness claims that Arsenal are one of the favourites to sign 18-year-old Barcelona wonderkid Ilias Akhomach at the end of the season. The Spanish prodigy will be a free agent in the summer, and it seems unlikely that he will sign a contract with Barcelona.
Akhomach is set to leave the club as a free agent. And a number of European clubs, including Arsenal, are looking to secure his services.
The Gunners will face competition from Leeds United, AC Milan, and Sevilla. The 18-year-old is highly rated at Barcelona, and he has a bright future ahead of himself. His departure from Barcelona will certainly come as a blow to the Catalan giants.
Arsenal hoping to take advantage of his situation and snap him up in the coming months. It will be interesting to see if they can convince the 18-year-old to snub the offers from the other clubs and move to north London.
The opportunity to join a club like Arsenal is likely to be an attractive option for any player, and the youngster could have his head turned by their interest. Playing in the Premier League alongside top-class players at Arsenal will help his development and accelerate his growth as a footballer.
Furthermore, Akhomach will be playing under a manager like Mikel Arteta who has proven himself to be an expert when it comes to nurturing young talents. Players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have developed into world-beaters under his management.
There is no reason why Akhomach cannot follow in their footsteps and develop into a key player for Arsenal in the coming seasons. However, the 18-year-old Barcelona wonderkid needs to play regularly to continue his development. And it will be interesting to see if Arsenal are prepared to give him that opportunity.
The talented young winger could struggle to start ahead of players like Martinelli and Saka next season. So a loan move could be ideal for him. If they sign him, Arsenal should look to send him out on loan so that he can gather some first-team experience and return to the club as a better player in the near future.
The Gunners certainly have the financial means to get the deal across the line. And it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds. The only way the other suitors can attract the 18-year-old Barcelona wonderkid is if Arsenal fail to convince him regarding a clear pathway to the first team. If not, there is no reason why they cannot emerge as the preferred destination for Akhomach.
