According to sources in Spain, Arsenal have submitted a €40m (£34m) bid to sign Villarreal wonderkid Yeremy Pino.
The 19-year-old is a special talent, who has already won four caps for Spain, while he has also attracted interest from Liverpool as a result of his eye-catching performances.
Now, Arsenal fans can see what their side’s old boss Unai Emery – who manages the teenager in Spain – thinks of the precocious forward.
What’s the story?
Well, if Mikel Arteta can get this deal over the line, his predecessor would surely be heartbroken to lose Pino.
Speaking about the Spain international after he scored four goals in a 5-1 win over Espanyol last season, Emery said: “Yeremy is a 19-year-old boy who has a lot of maturity for certain things. He is competitive, brave and always wants more. He’s not always brilliant, he’s very young and has a lot to learn.”
Clearly, the 50-year-old thinks very highly of Pino, but encouragingly, feels he has even more room for growth.
The Villarreal No.21 scored seven goals in 40 appearances last season, while also providing four assists.
That is a decent return for a 19-year-old, and with Arteta at the helm – a man who has impressively developed youngsters such as Bukayo Saka – we’re sure he would thrive at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal may need to offer more for Yeremy Pino
In our view, Arsenal’s £34m offer may not be enough for Pino.
Villarreal have included a release clause worth €80m (£68m) in their talented prospect’s contract, so Edu may have to up his bid for the Spaniard if Arsenal are to get their hands on him.
If a deal does materialise, it is expected that Pino will compete with Saka for a place in the side – he made 26 appearances on the right of the attack for Villarreal last season, although he can also play on the left, or in the centre.
Keep an eye on this situation, as Arsenal are yet to hear a response from Villarreal – as far as we know.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
