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Football London
Football London
Sport
Kieran Horn

Arsenal given Moussa Diaby transfer hope as 'mega upheaval' planned at Bayer Leverkusen

Arsenal could reignite their interest in Moussa Diaby again ahead of the summer window with his future at Bayer Leverkusen in doubt. The Gunners initially targeted the winger last summer before reviving that initial interest in the January transfer window after their primary target Mykhailo Mudryk joined Chelsea.

Leverkusen enjoyed a stellar 2021/22 season which prompted many of their star players, who had garnered interest across Europe, staying in order to see where the club could go in the following campaign. However, their fortunes seemed to have changed dramatically with the German club knocked out of the Champions League in the group stages and sitting tenth in the Bundesliga.

Poor form and a possible financial issue, with Leverkusen likely to receive far less in the way of monetary reward for domestic success, could see them change their stance in Diaby. Last month, according to German journalist Patrick Berger, the Bundesliga side didn't want to sell the French winger but set a fresh price tag for the end of the season. "Summer transfer more likely," Berger says. "Price tag €75million (£68million) + huge bonuses."

READ MORE: Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham to meet with other Premier League clubs amid Man City FFP charges

After a season-best for goal contributions in his last campaign where he grabbed 13 goals and 12 assists for Leverkusen in 32 Bundesliga games, the 23-year-old has continued that form at a steady pace.

From 19 league games this season, the Diaby has scored six goals and contributed four assists with a further two goals coming in the Champions League. Those strikes weren't enough to prevent Leverkusen from exiting the competition but finishing third in the group sees them remain in Europe.

Leverkusen face the first leg of the Europa League knockout play-off round next Thursday when they take on AS Monaco. The German club advancing could see them drawn against Arsenal in later round which would allow Edu and other Arsenal chiefs to take a closer look at Diaby, before ultimately making a decision on whether or not try and sign him in the summer.

Sitting 12 points off the Champions League qualification places in the Bundesliga may mean the Europa League is the clubs best shot at a successful season, but more poor form as 2023 elapses could see a lot of changes occur in the summer.

That is according to Bild who state that Leverkusen could miss out on all the goals set at the start of the season and that the consequences of that would see a mega upheaval take place in the squad.

Piero Hincapie, Jeremie Frimpong Diaby are the players listed as potentially being up for sale who could bring in "far more than €100million (£88.4million)."

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