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Report: Arsenal actually made serious approach to sign ‘relentless’ Luiz alternative on deadline day
Arsenal’s deadline day was dominated by talk of a move for Aston Villa midfielder, Douglas Luiz, but in the end, their efforts proved fruitless.
Luiz remains a Villa player after the Midlands outfit dug their heels in, despite Arsenal lodging three late bids up to around the £25m mark. For the Brazilian midfielder, he now faces a case of either buckling down and cracking on, or kicking up a stink and forcing a January move.
However, it seems it wasn’t only Luiz who Arsenal wanted. According to – writing in his Reading the Game newsletter – the Gunners also made a big push to sign RC Lens star, Seko Fofana.
“Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans were not the only midfielders Arsenal went for late on. They also made a serious approach for Seko Fofana. Lens however managed to convince him it was better for his development to stay at the club, with the announcement of a new deal proving quite emotional,” Delaney .
“It left Arsenal limited to Douglas Luiz, which Aston Villa knew, ensuring they drove a very hard bargain. Connected sources were pessimistic about a deal from very early in the day. It does mean a January move for Danilo from Palmeiras is all the more likely.”
TBR’s View: Fofana One To Watch In The Future
Seko Fofana seems too good to be a player who should be ignored going forward. If he has another fine season in Ligue 1 then there is every chance we see him in the PL eventually.
Regarded as a ‘relentless‘ midfield talent, Fofana would certainly have brought a dynamism to the Arsenal midfield that might still be missing.
Certainly, should Fofana have another fine season with Lens, then Arsenal might well go back in for the midfielder and strengthen in January or next summer.