Arsenal hijacked AGAIN for summer transfer target

Stuart Telford

• 21 Mar 2023 18:07 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal saw their top winter transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk move to Chelsea and the player scouted in his stead, Moussa Diaby, now looks set for Newcastle.

Arsenal and Mudryk looked like a deal waiting to happen for many months, with player and club making little secret of their desire to work together.

But Todd Boehly and Chelsea swooped in at the last minute, usurping the Gunners by agreeing to pay Shakhtar Donetsk €70 million up front with a further €30m to follow in add-ons.

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Arsenal have since shifted their focus to Diaby, who has starred for Bayer Leverkusen since moving to Germany from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, earning his first France caps two years later.

But now Arsenal could be set to miss out to Newcastle, with the Telegraph confirming the Toon's interest in the winger last summer.

Newcastle 'obsessed' with Diaby

"Newcastle have scouted the 22-year-old extensively over the last 18 months and feel he would be an excellent addition to the squad…" they wrote. "Rather than be forced into paying inflated fees, Newcastle's hierarchy are waiting to see how the market develops."

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But this stance has softened, according to Spanish transfer outlet Todo Fichajes, who claim that Newcastle are now 'obsessed' with bringing the 23-year-old to St. James' Park.

Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin have been Eddie Howe's first-choice wingers this season, while Everton's Anthony Gordon was added for £45m in the January transfer window.

Premier League leaders Arsenal have two of the best wide-men in the division, meanwhile, in Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, but more strength in depth behind them is desired at the Emirates.

Diaby is currently valued at €60.5m by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm, a fee Leverkusen are likely to insist on with the player thus far refusing to go public with a y desire to move to the Premier League.