Arsenal have reportedly entered the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow. The Gunners are understood to be keen on bringing a new central midfielder to the Emirates Stadium amid concerns about the fitness of Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey.
Sow is a fresh name linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium as Mikel Arteta's side prepare to resume their first Premier League title fight since 2016. The Switzerland international has impressed with his performances in Bundesliga and joins teammates Jesper Lindstrom and Evan Ndicka in being tipped to move to the Emirates Stadium.
According to Sport BILD, the Gunners have joined Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest in the race to land the all-round midfielder. Sow is entering the final 18 months of his contract in Frankfurt and could be sold next month to ensure the Bundesliga side receive a reasonable transfer fee.
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However, the report states that a 'lucrative' fee would need to be offered to convince the Europa League holders to sell, meaning Arsenal may prefer to wait out Youri Tielemans' contract at Leicester City.
Who is Djibril Sow?
Born in Zurich, 25-year-old Sow is a midfielder who has been strongly linked with a move away from Frankfurt due to his ability to play a variety of positions. He moved to Germany in 2015 after appearing for Zurich B team before returning to Switzerland in 2017.
He was part of the Young Boys squad that lifted the 2018 Swiss Super League title, their first in 32 years, before Frankfurt rewarded him with a five-year deal at the Deutsche Bank Park.
After representing his nation at nearly every youth level, he made his debut in September 2018 and is now a regular member of Murat Yakin's side. Sow has started all three of Switzerland's World Cup games alongside Arsenal's Granit Xhaka and could feature again as the Swiss take on Portugal in their Round of 16 World Cup clash later today (Tuesday).
Why do Arsenal want him?
Arteta's long desire to add more depth to his midfield looks set to continue into January. Xhaka, Partey and Mohammed Elneny have all put in splendid performances this season, however, one injury could derail Arsenal's work so far.
Sow, as mentioned above, has previously played in all three roles in midfield. His reading of the game means he's capable of sitting just in front of the defence while his passing range and forward runs into the box makes him more prominent in a more advanced role.
The Gunners have stuck religiously with a 4-2-3-1 system, meaning Sow would be perfect to partner his compatriot Xhaka behind the powerful attack ahead of them.
What's been said?
Sport BILD reporter Andreas Boni explained the finances behind Forest's failed attempt to lure Sow to the east Midlands in the summer. He said: “Nottingham Forest has offered a 50 million euro package for Sow. About 20 million euros, five million in bonuses and then, of course, his wages.
“(Forest would give him) a four-year contract (worth) over six million a year. That’s how you get to 50 million euros. It also shows what a great development Sow has enjoyed at Frankfurt, where he was a Europa League winner.”
It's not the first time Frankfurt have had their stars linked with big time moves. Back in 2019, Sebastien Haller and Luka Jovic departed for a combined fee of around £100million to West Ham and Real Madrid, respectively. Whilst it was a blow to their team, former coach Dragoslav Stepanovic insisted "only Frankfurt won".
“The club sold these players at the right time when there was a lot of money (being offered for them). Two years later, many clubs would not have paid (those fees).”
With this in and Frankfurt's previous transfer history in mind, it's likely Arsenal won't be able to get away with a cheap transfer fee.
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