Arsene Wenger has declared an interest in the Moroccan midfielder, but what can we tell you about him?
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has set the rumour mill rolling by telling French Eurosport; “I know Younes (Belhanda) well and I like him a lot.”
Could he be on his way to the Emirates in the summer? Here are some key facts about the player…
1) Belhanda plays his football at French side Montpellier, combining with another reported Arsenal target, France international striker Olivier Giroud.
2) His current manager, former French international Rene Girard, is the one who compared him to former Arsenal star Robert Pires, complimenting his attacking attributes.
3) Belhanda is a winger and attacking midfielder and wears the number 10 shirt for Montpellier. The club are currently second in Ligue One, one point behind leaders PSG, and he scored in a recent 2-2 draw against the league leaders.
4) He played under-20 football for France- his country of birth, but switched allegiance to Morocco, making 12 appearances, and scored at this year’s African Nations Cup against Niger.
5) Last season he played as a more defensive midfielder, with Montpellier finishing 14th in the league, his switch to the playmaker role, allowing his attacking instincts to flourish has been instrumental in the club’s success this season; he has scored eight goals in 22 games.
Watch this video of Belhanda in action…
Would Belhanda be a good acquisition for Arsenal?
image: © Yvelines
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