Arsenal seem determined to land Norwich City’s exciting Argentinian playmaker Emiliano Buendia at all costs – a reported £40m to be fair.
The Independent’s Miguel Delaney and Tom Kershaw write that one of the ways that the Gunners are proposing to do this is to offer the Canaries a player-plus-cash deal in the hope this gets them over the line.
Cash-plus-player but enough to ruffles Canaries feathers
Norwich City are thought to want £40m for their glowing midfield star. After seven goals and seven assists this season, that total including a wonderful volleyed winner against Barnsley last time out, it is not hard to see why the Canaries value him so highly.
In today’s climate, even for an established Premier League club such as Arsenal, splashing out £40m on one player is a big ask.
Norwich are said by some sources to be ready to resist bids for their top stars – that includes Buendia – as they look to seal promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
That is why Arsenal probing with a cash-plus-player offer makes not only financial sense, but is also an intriguing prospect for the Norfolk side to consider.
Arsenal duo named as possibles
Delaney and Kershaw’s Independent article says that a number of Arsenal players will be considered as part of any deal. Two of them, Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson are named by the reporters in their piece.
Joe Willock
Youngster Willock is rated as worth around £14.5m by website Transfermarkt. The 21-year-old Londoner has made six Prmier League appearances for the Gunners this season.
Primarily a central midfielder, athough he can play the advanced midfield role and out on the right, Willock has also made five Europa League appearances for the North Londonders.
In these five appearances, Willock has proved to be very productive with three goals and three assists to his name.
These appearances form a part of the tapestry of 76 appearances (11 goals/four assists) for Arsenal’s first team as well as 10 goals and eight assists for the Under-23s.
Reiss Nelson
Right wing Nelson, although he can play across the park, is valued at £11.25m by Transfermarkt. The young Londoner came up through the ranks at the Emirates and has the advantage of a season out on loan in Germany with Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim.
This season has seen him make eight appearances across all competitions for Arsenal’s first-team. He has four of these appearances in the Europa League (one goal/one assist) and two appearances in the Premier League.
In total, the 21-year-old has made 46 appearances (four goals/four assists) for Arsenal’s first-team, 41 appearances for the Under 23s (18 goals/11 assists) and scored seven times whilst on loan with Hoffenheim.
