Liverpool and Arsenal are both interested in signing Yeremy Pino this summer.
The 19-year-old Villarreal winger is hot property and could potentially be coming to the Premier League.
According to Fabrizio Romano this week, Liverpool have sent scouts to watch the talented Spaniard, whereas a journalist revealed on Friday that he would consider a transfer to Arsenal.
There’s no doubt that Anfield has been a much more attractive proposition for footballers than life at the Emirates Stadium in recent years.
But if Pino – who has a £68 million release clause – does find himself with a decision to make between both Premier League sides, Arsenal could well wind up winning.
The youngster is a wide player and with Mohamed Salah extending his contract at Liverpool, and with Luis Diaz more than likely going to be the Merseysiders’ option on the left for the foreseeable future, Pino simply isn’t going to play regularly under Jurgen Klopp for many years.
You could argue that the Gunners are also flush with brilliant attacking options out wide between Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
However, Saka is yet to agree a new contract in North London and Martinelli’s existing deal runs only for another two years.
If Mikel Arteta fails to deliver Champions League qualification for Arsenal this season, it really isn’t ridiculous to believe that one – if not both – could depart North London next summer.
And with Nicolas Pepe expected to leave this summer, there’s definitely room in Arteta’s squad for somebody of Pino’s vintage.
Snubbing Liverpool is always a massive gamble, but this is a 19-year-old.
He has to play regularly for the sake of his development and his first-team prospects over the coming years might be better at Arsenal than Liverpool.
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