Arsenal are interested in signing Monaco winger Keita Balde this summer, according to reports in France.
Gunners boss Unai Emery is set to make significant changes to his squad in the coming weeks after missing out on a place in next season’s Champions League.
Although improving the defence is thought to be Emery’s priority, the Spaniard is also looking to add to his attacking options.
And Le10Sport claim that the Premier League club are weighing-up a move for the Senegal international, who joined Monaco from Lazio in a £27m deal in 2017.
The 24-year-old made 33 appearances in his first season in France but was sent out on loan to Serie A giants Inter Milan at the start of the 2018-19 season, with the option of making the move permanent at the end of the campaign.
(Image: Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)
Despite scoring five goals in 29 appearances last season, the French publication claims that the Italian club decided against activating the option because they deemed the £30m price to be too expensive.
Although Keita is set to return to Monaco this summer, it is reported that manager Leonardo Jardim would prefer to cash in on the player, with Arsenal showing interest.
He is currently representing Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations and got on the scoresheet during Sunday’s 2-0 win over Tanzania.
Elsewhere, the Gunners reportedly want to sign Wilfried Zaha, but could miss out due to lacking the necessary funds to reach an agreement with Crystal Palace .
(Image: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh)
Although the player is thought to favour a move to the Emirates, BBC Sport reports that the club’s current £40-45m budget would not be enough to reach a deal, with claims that Palace value the Ivory Coast international at up-to £80m.
That means that Arsenal would have to sell players in order to raise the funds to tempt Palace into selling their prized player.
Meanwhile, the club are also in talks to sign Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, as well as Saint-Etienne’s highly-rated teenage centre-back William Saliba.
