Youcef Atal is reportedly a target for Arsenal – but will Ligue 1 strugglers Nice let him go?
Patrick Vieira is facing a rather unwelcome battle with his former employers in winter months with Arsenal keen to raid Ligue 1 strugglers Nice for Youcef Atal.
As reported by 90Min, The Gunners are set to go head-to-head with North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur during the January transfer window with this Swiss army knife of a footballer in their sights.
A rampaging right-back by trade, Atal is more than happy to play in almost any position. He even scored a hat-trick against Guingamp, becoming the first Algerian to do so in France’s top flight since 1985, from a very unfamiliar left-wing role in April.
It was a performance that catapulted Atal into the mainstream consciousness and had Nice coach Vieira raving about a player who joined from Kortrijk in 2018.
“Youcef is improving. He works a lot. If you look at his goals, you see the aggression he has to be in the right place to score,” the legendary Arsenal captain told the BBC back in the spring.
“He is a positive character with good spirit. He was rewarded for his efforts. What Atal has over the others is his desire to get into the box.”
Given how Hector Bellerin performed during Saturday’s dismal 2-2 home draw with struggling Southampton, switching off again and again and caught watching for Danny Ings’ early opener, reports that Atal could be on his way to the Emirates should send a shiver down the Spaniard’s spine.
But with Atal proving himself to be more than capable on the right or the left, at the back or in attack, no one in Unai Emery’s squad can rest comfortably with him around.
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