Are Arsenal about to sign the striking star of the future, dubbed the ‘new Thierry Henry’?
French daily Ouest-France has claimed that M’Baye Niang is heading to the Emirates for a trial.
Who is he and what can we tell you about him?
1) Niang is a 17-year-old striker who has already played for France’s under-21 side, but has Senegalese parents and could still opt to play for the African country.
2) He plays for Caen in Ligue One, and is the youngest player ever to make an appearance for the club.
3) Niang is the second youngest player to ever score a goal in Ligue One, and has five professional goals to his name to date.
4) As well as featuring up front last season, he played behind the striker and out on the left of midfield, and likes to shoot from distance.
5) Caen were relegated last season, and face a struggle to hang onto the highly rated prospect as a result, despite his contract running until 2014.
Analysis: Niang is clearly a young talent who is making rapid progress already. He had a mixed experience in Ligue One last season and may find the step up to the Premier League too much too soon, and going out on loan may best suit him. With other European clubs including Juventus monitoring his progress, it would be a coup for Arsenal to secure his signature early, and Caen’s relegation is expected to put them under pressure to sell. Arsene Wenger knows French football very well and it should be no surprise that he player is on his radar and reported to be heading over for a trial.
Should Arsenal take a punt on Niang? Or should they be looking at more established targets?
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
