Would £40m-rated African Footballer of the Year Yacine Brahimi fit in at Arsenal?

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Porto left Yacine Brahimi out of their Champions League squad to face Roma last week, increasing speculation that he could sign for Arsenal.

Arsenal are interested in Porto winger Yacine Brahimi after missing out on Riyad Mahrez, according to The Mirror.

The 26-year-old was left out of Porto’s Champions League qualifier against Roma on Wednesday amid increasing speculation that he is about to depart the Estadio do Dragao after two impressive years with the Portuguese giants.

The Algerian international shot to fame in England after starring in Porto’s 2-1 Champions League group stage win against Chelsea in September last year.

And Brahimi could be set to showcase his quick feet and impressive vision to an English audience on a more regular basis, with The Mirror reporting that Arsenal are keen on the £40 million-rated wideman.

The former Granada attacker became the first player since Jay-Jay Okocha to retain the BBC African Footballer of the Year award in 2015 after impressing in European competition, scoring five goals to inspire Porto to the quarter-finals for the first time in six years and completing more dribbles than any other player barring Lionel Messi (below) and Eden Hazard.

Brahimi would undoubtedly add goals and invention to Arsenal’s attack but Gunners fans will be understandably concerned about where he would fit in to Wenger’s XI with Alexis Sanchez an undisputed starter in the Algerian’s favoured left-wing position.

Meanwhile, the prolific creation of Mesut Ozil and the return to form and fitness of Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla cast further doubt whether Brahimi would be worth the fee, especially with Arsenal in desperate need of a new centre-back and centre-forward.

Furthermore, it would still come as a shock if Arsene Wenger was willing to pay Porto’s desired fee, having been priced out of the market already this summer for Mahrez and Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.