Arsenal transfer news: Contact made with club to sign £88m Mudryk alternative

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Arsenal have reportedly made initial contact with Bayer Leverkusen to sign Moussa Diaby having missed out on Mykhailo Mudryk this weekend.

According to Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the Gunners have made the first move with the Bundesliga side to sign the 23-year-old winger. However, Leverkusen are not willing to sell their star attacker in January, with Diaby also being quoted at €100m (£88m).

https://twitter.com/skysports_sheth/status/1615331317197021186

With every club in Europe now aware that Arsenal have money to spend and that Chelsea broke the bank to sign Mudryk this weekend in a deal also worth £88m, the north London side face a huge financial problem in the market when trying to find an alternative to the Ukrainian international.

And this is a blow for a player like Diaby, who has been one of the best attackers in the Bundesliga for quite some time as well as a player who would perfectly suit Mikel Arteta’s transfer strategy, with the French winger ideal for what Arsenal need this January.

However, even with Arsenal making contact with Leverkusen to sign Diaby, the £88m asking price will likely put the north London side off making any sort of deal with the Bundesliga side for the French international, with the Gunners likely to face similar problems with other targets having missed out on Mudryk.

Diaby would be perfect Arsenal signing if Edu can haggle down asking price

With eight goals and four assists in all competitions already this season as well as the ability to play on both wings, Diaby ticks a lot of boxes for what Arsenal want in a winger this January. However, with the Mudryk deal a complete bust, clubs will now know that they can demand whatever they want when in business with the Gunners.

Indeed, Edu Gaspar will have his work cut out for him this month if Arsenal are to find the ideal attacking signing in the market, and whilst Diaby would have been perfect, Leverkusen’s demands are simply too high for the north London club to even consider.