Arsenal are pressing ahead with attempts to sign Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz this summer, with Mikel Arteta believing he is ideal for the Gunners.
That’s according to The Mirror, who claim that Arsenal are looking to sign Ruiz at the end of the season.
It’s even stated that Arsenal representatives have now met with Ruiz’s agent to try and learn more about a potential summer deal.
Ruiz has less than 18 months left on his Napoli contract and seemingly has no plans to sign an extension with the Serie A club.
Arsenal are now making their first move to secure Ruiz, with Napoli allegedly seeking a fee of around £16million for the midfielder.
That fits into Arsenal’s budget, and boss Arteta allegedly feels that Ruiz can fit in perfectly at Arsenal both for his technical ability and his character.
Ruiz, 25, has bagged five goals and three assists in 20 Serie A games this season, showing how he can make an impact in the final third whilst being branded ‘extraordinary’ in Italy.
A classy midfielder with a great passing range, Ruiz has a wand of a left foot and is always a threat to score from long distance.
Arteta may well see Ruiz as a replacement for Granit Xhaka in the Arsenal midfield, pairing him up with another former La Liga star in Thomas Partey.
£16million would be a great price for Ruiz given his quality from deep and moving forward, but Arsenal won’t be alone in the race.
Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport recently reported that Liverpool and Newcastle both want to sign Ruiz this summer.
Both teams are likely to look for midfielders this summer, and it looks like Ruiz is popping onto the radar of many Premier League teams.
Spaniard Arteta will hope to have the upper hand in the race for his compatriot, and with Arsenal starting work on a deal early, they clearly have hope of an agreement.
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