Director not surprised Arsenal and West Ham like his ‘fantastic’ £60m star

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Bayer Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes is not surprised to see the ‘fantastic’ Edmond Tapsoba linked with big-money moves to Premier League giants West Ham United and Arsenal, speaking to The Express. 

The talented Burkina Faso international possesses just about every single attribute you could possibly want from a young centre-half. Powerful and strong in the air at 6ft 4ins, Tapsoba is equally comfortably on the turf, breaking the lines and starting attacks aplenty with his piercing passing range. Did we mention he’s just 23 years old too?

No wonder he’s a popular name among scouting circles.

According to reports, both West Ham and Arsenal have the £60 million-rated former Vitoria Guimaraes on their radar. Not that Rolfes is surprised to see Rolls Royce Tapsoba catch the eye. 

Will Edmond Tapsoba leave Bayer Leverkusen for the Premier League?

“I can imagine that there are many stories about him in England,” the former Germany midfielder admits, before insisting that there have been no negotiations yet regarding a move away from the Bay Arena.

“There have been no talks so far. We want to keep him as he’s a fantastic player. He has one incredible quality that is his build-up play. It’s perfect for our playing style. He has a long contract so there is no need for us to speak about him.” 

Tapsoba, who joined Leverkusen for around £17 million a couple of years ago, is currently under contract until 2026.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have been admiring Tapsoba from afar for some time now. An eye-watering £60 million asking price soon had the Gunners considering alternative options during the summer of 2021, however. 

“I’m sure he will continue his development and become one of the greatest players in the world,” his former Vitoria Guimaraes coach Ivo Vieira once said. “He can end up where he wants to: at one of the world’s biggest clubs. 

“Apart from his technique and speed, he has the ability to read the game so he can make the right decisions quickly, which is a very unusual quality for his age.”