Timothy Castagne admits he hopes to leave Leicester City for a ‘top club’ as Arsenal consider offering the Belgium international a route back to the Premier League.
There is a trend developing around Arsenal’s transfer targets. Did you spot it?
Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard all arrived at the Emirates Stadium over the last 12 months. This summer, Arsenal are setting their sights on the likes of Moussa Diaby, Kai Havertz and the aforementioned Timothy Castagne.
All players connected by their versatility and their tactical intelligence.
Diaby is a winger and/or a striker. Havertz can lead the line or pull the strings little deeper. Timothy Castagne, meanwhile, is equally comfortable on both the right and the left of a backline. Arsenal, again, appear to be prioritising players capable of filling multiple positions in Arteta’s XI. Ones who will give the Gunners boss further flexibility and depth ahead of what is likely to be a gruelling campaign of domestic and European football.
And while the former Atalanta full-back Castagne may have suffered relegation with Leicester City last month, it should not be forgotten that Aaron Ramsdale finished in the Premier League’s bottom three in each of his two seasons before moving to North London.
Arsenal could finally sign Leicester City’s Timothy Castagne
“The season was long. It did not end as we wanted,” he tells RTBF ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden.
“The next two months will be important to make the right choices. I let my agent do his job to the moment. He is having discussions. I told him not to tell me anything during the period with the national team in order to keep my concentration.
“There will be a choice to be made, for sure. We are trying to find a top club.”
Arsenal certainly ticks that box; second in the Premier League last term and back in the Champions League. Castagne would provide high-quality cover for White on the right and Zinchenko on the left. He is also a long-time target of the Gunners; Castagne’s agent confirming that Arsenal had shown an interest before his £21 million move to Leicester in 2020.
The Athletic now say that the Foxes will not stand in his way. Initial talks between Leicester and Arsenal are underway, per Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri.
“There is the risk of waiting too long and having no one left,” Castagne adds, hoping for some clarity sooner rather than later.
“I don’t arrive here (in the Belgium camp with my reputation) demolished, I want to try to show that I am not a bad player, and that my career is not over.
“I want to prove that I always play well.”
Leicester, meanwhile, are close to appointing Man City assistant Enzo Maresca as their new head coach.
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