Report: Arsenal in Talks to Sign Orlando City forward, Facundo Torres, Arsenal Looking to Battle Newcastle for Fekir
Arsenal in Talks to Sign Orlando City forward
According to latest reports, Arsenal have their sights set on Orlando City forward Facundo Torres over a potential move in the January transfer window. Mikel Arteta is looking to bring in a backup for Bukayo Saka and the MLS star has been marked as a possible target.
The Gunners have already found a great signing in Matt Turner from MLS’s New England Revolution this year. With Arsenal starting the Premier League on a strong note this season, Arteta and Edu will be looking to get the right reinforcements to challenge Manchester City for the league title this time after falling short last season for a Champions League spot.
The Uruguayan winger has been a key player for the American club, helping them finish seventh in the MLS table with 9 goals and 8 assists in 33 games. Moreover, his contribution of 4 goals and 2 assists helped the team win the US Open Cup this year. His displays earned him a call-up to the Uruguay national team for the 2022 World Cup.
According to ESPN (via Football London), Arsenal are keen on signing Orlando City winger Facundo Torres in the winter transfer window and have discussed a possible move with Edgardo Lasalvia, Torres’ agent. The agent confirmed the Gunners are interested in bringing the Uruguayan to the Premier League.
Lasalvia told ESPN last month that he was set to meet with the North London side’s representatives to talk about a January transfer move. The 22-year-old is reportedly very keen on the move, but negotiations are still at an early stage, with no deal imminent.
Facundo Torres was born in Montevideo, Uruguay and moved to La Paz at the age of 16. The Orlando City winger made his impact in the MLS in his first season, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists. He impressed ex-Tottenham Hotspur and New England Revolution coach Brad Friedel who told Metro Sport:
“He’s a star over here with a really good left foot. In the final third he holds a special quality in being able to unlock defences, he has very good vision and a decent strike on him.”
The winger is gifted with the ability to collect the ball and run past the opposition defence, similar to Neymar in his younger days at Santos. Arsenal would be excited to have another creative player in their team to bolster their attacking phase with precision and pace.
The Uruguayan playmaker has created numerous goals for his teammates and with Gabriel Jesus upfront, it should be a smooth partnership. Rather than looking for space inside the penalty box and cutting the ball across to a teammate, he looks for the defence-splitting pass from outside the box.
Facundo Torres can play on either wing, giving Arsenal backup on either side for Gabriel Martinelli and Saka. The forward also has some trickery up his sleeve in one-to-one situations, which allows him to cut inside to deliver dangerous passes into the penalty area.
The 22-year-old prefers to have the free role, but can play in different styles depending on what Arteta prefers during the match. The youngster is perfect defensively for Arteta’s pressing tactics and can pressurise the opposition during counter-attacks. When asked about his playing style in an interview with MLSsoccer, the winger said:
“I’m a forward, an attacking player that likes to play out on the wings. But one of the things I love to do the most is just attacking at goal and going to goal. Inside the box, outside the box, it’s one of those things where I just really love getting towards goal. And I’m a player that loves to be on the ball all the time because if I don’t have the ball, I’m waiting for it and I love to be on the attack and affect the game as much as possible on the ball.”
Arteta will be satisfied with the arrival of Reiss Nelson back from injury in the last few weeks which has given them some options on the bench in the winger position. Nelson scored twice in the Nottingham Forest game, but it was his first appearance of the season and it is unclear whether he is in the Spaniard’s long-term plans.
Star player Bukayo Saka is the only option on the right and with the second half of the season starting in a couple of weeks, the Gunners will surely have some injury problems because of the fixture congestion, unless they bring in someone in the January transfer window.
Arsenal Looking to Battle Newcastle for Real Betis Playmaker Nabil Fekir
According to Spanish reports, Newcastle United and Arsenal could battle it out for the signing of Real Betis play-maker Nabil Fekir. The Magpies view him as a strong potential midfield target, but the Gunners could be out to seek revenge for Bruno Guimaraes.
Nabil Fekir was the star of the Ligue 1 with Olympique Lyon before his career slowed down due to several injuries. The Frenchman was linked with Liverpool, but a move to Anfield failed to materialise and he joined Real Betis in the summer of 2019.
The 29-year-old has made 129 appearances for the Spanish club, scoring 25 goals and assisting 25 times (stats via Transfermarkt). The attacking midfielder has also acquired 25 caps for the France national team but has featured for them last in 2020.
Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Nabil Fekir. During Unai Emery’s spell at the North London side, the French midfielder was continuously linked with a move to the Emirates stadium. The same now seems to happen under Mikel Arteta.
According to Fichajes (via Football 365), Arsenal seem to have revived their interest in Nabil Fekir and have expressed their intention to sign him. The North London side would have to fight Newcastle United for the midfielder’s signature.
The Magpies are looking to add more squad depth to challenge for a Champions League spot this season and are reportedly very keen on signing the Real Betis midfielder. Moreover, given the financial condition of the La Liga side, a move to the Premier League could be on the cards.
Nabil Fekir moved to Spain after leaving Lique 1 side Olympique Lyon to join Real Betis for a €19.75 million fee in 2019. He is a typical French player, being quick and well-balanced, and delivers dangerous crosses from either flank.
He is in charge of free-kicks at Betis as he can provide goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates. He is known for his attacking exploits. He can smoothly get himself out of opposition defensive presses owing to his amazing balance while on the ball. Dribbling and long-range scoring with his left foot can also be added to his footballing traits.
The 29-year-old has helped the Spanish club qualify for the Europa League by guiding them to a sixth and fifth-placed finish in the last two seasons. He was also in the team that won the Copa del Rey last season with a penalty shootout triumph over Valencia.
The Frenchman has impressed this season after a slow start, scoring three goals in his last few games. He ensured that his club advanced to Europa League knockout stages. According to Transfermarkt, Nabil Fekir is worth around €40m but Betis could allow the player to leave for less due to their difficult financial condition. He has signed a new deal this year that will keep him in Spain till 2026.
Verdict:
Nabil Fekir would be a solid addition to the Arsenal squad despite them having Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira in the similar position. he would surely jump at the chance to establish himself in the Premier League at this stage of his career.
The 29-year-old is again on the Gunners’ radar, although a move to Newcastle is more realistic, with the team fighting for the top-four and he will find it easier to slot into the starting eleven at St. James’ Park. Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak have been the club’s marquee signings since the Saudi takeover.
The Gunners have been looking at Ruben Neves and Youri Tielemans, who are likely to be prioritised. As good as Nabil Fekir is, Arsenal have been way better this season in competing at the top level, both domestically and in Europe, so they need a quality player that can take them closer to winning big trophies.
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