Arsenal will look to sign 26-year-old Brazilian winger Igor Paixao from Ligue 1 club Marseille in the final days of the summer transfer window.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Igor Paixao is also the subject of interest from Sunderland. The Black Cats are keen on reinforcing their offensive unit by signing a wide attacker in the coming day, and they have had their sights set on the 26-year-old Marseille winger.
However, per TEAMtalk, the Ligue 1 giants are “confident of keeping” the South American winger at the Orange Velodrome beyond the ongoing transfer window. Nevertheless, Arsenal will attempt a late move after submitting an enquiry for a possible deal.
Igor Paixao and his career since the Ligue 1 switch
Igor Paixao has continued on an upward trajectory since joining Marseille from Feyenoord last summer. The 26-year-old arrived in France after an exceptional stint with Feyenoord, but he was in and out of the starting lineup in his debut season with the Ligue 1 club.
The Brazilian attacker managed 2,781 minutes of game time across 42 appearances across all competitions, with fell slightly short of the typical 3,500-minute benchmark for a regular starter. However, he produced an impressive tally of 12 goals and seven assists in those outings. He has also started the season with an assist in his only outing thus far. That is perhaps why his stocks remains high, with Premier League clubs vying for his signature.
Will Paixao finally move to England?
Igor Paixao has been on Arsenal’s wishlist for a long time. The continued interest is logical, as Mikel Arteta wants a new left-sided winger despite signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. However, the Greek international has replaced Leandro Trossard, so with Gabriel Martinelli closing in on joining Al-Hilal, they need a successor. The well-rounded Paixao is thus a viable target.
As for Sunderland, the Black Cats have a stacked offensive unit. However, they lack a productive presence on the flanks, and Regis Le Bris needs a pacy winger who can add a new dimension to his team’s gameplay. The Marseille forward is thus an option worth considering for Sunderland.
Arsenal’s initial enquiry signals the intention to launch a more serious move. However, with Marseille pushing to keep the Brazilian winger beyond the summer, a deal remains uncertain. With days left in the window and the Ligue 1 club’s resistance high, a deal remains uncertain.
