£13m Arsenal target has just admitted he liked Mikel Arteta ‘a lot’

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Real Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda has admitted that he likes Mikel Arteta ‘a lot’ amid claims Arsenal want to sign him this summer.

Fresneda has been speaking to The Athletic after a breakout season with Valladolid.

Fresneda was asked about Arsenal amid strong rumours linking him with a move to North London.

The right back admitted that he likes Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta ‘a lot’ and thinks he is doing ‘fantastic’ work with the Gunners.

Fresneda notes that he is following European football closely and it’s Arteta who has really impressed him this season.

“I like Arteta a lot because I think he’s a great coach; I follow the European leagues and I think the work he’s doing with his club is fantastic,” said Fresneda.

Arsenal still sit top of the Premier League table despite a real wobble in recent weeks, taking just three points from their last three games.

Whether they win the title or not, Arteta has built a truly impressive team and that will have been noticed by players around the world.

That would make Arsenal even more appealing in the transfer market and Fresneda may well fancy the move to North London.

Ivan Fresneda is an Arsenal transfer target

Fresneda was a prominent name in terms of Arsenal’s January transfer window.

The Daily Mail reported that Arsenal matched Borussia Dortmund’s £13million offer to sign Fresneda.

Fresneda’s agent Luis Bardaji even visited Arsenal’s training ground according to Goal, leaving fans to think a deal was on.

However, the January window ended without a deal and the Arsenal rumours have continued.

Fabrizio Romano claimed in February that Arsenal are still scouting Fresneda ahead of a possible summer move.

The Gunners may well fancy adding another right back this summer, adding more competition for Ben White and injury-prone Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Fresneda is a young prospect at 18 and has only played 21 first-team games for Valladolid.

This would be one for the future but Fresneda’s praise for Arteta reads like a come-and-get-me plea; if Arsenal make their move, Fresneda would surely jump at the chance.