- 6 hours ago
EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal monitor Lille winger Zhegrova as Saka cover
Steve Kay
- Updated: 4 Jul 2024 10:37 BST
- 6 min read
Exclusive
Arsenal have been closely monitoring Lille winger Edon Zhegrova as Mikel Arteta seeks to add depth to his squad for the upcoming season, FootballTransfers has been told.
The 25-year-old Kosovan international has been showing good form throughout the season by scoring six goals and providing six assists in 33 Ligue 1 appearances, hence why Zhegrova's talent has not gone unnoticed by the Gunners' recruitment.
Currently, there have been no formal talks between Arsenal and Lille regarding the transfer. However, Zhegrova is looking to leave Lille in 2024. His contract with Lille runs until 2026, providing the French club with some leverage in negotiations.
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We understand that Arsenal view Zhegrova - who FootballTransfers' Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) ranks at €19.9m - as a potential cover for Bukayo Saka, offering an additional option on the right wing.
The Kosovo international has been with the French side since signing for €7 million from FC Basel in 2022, going on to flourish.
After initially suffering from problems with his consistency, the winger has started to become more regular - and there is an idea that he could eventually follow in Eden Hazard’s footsteps to leave Lille for a major club, with Arsenal keen.
STATS
Edon Zhegrova
AM (CRL)
LOSC Lille
Edon Zhegrova
AM (CRL)
LOSC Lille
What can Edon Zhegrova bring to Arsenal?
Interestingly, SciSports compares Zhegrova to Saka or Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in terms of his style - while watching him, you can see that Manchester City’s Jack Grealish is not too dissimilar.
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Zhegrova, is ranked among the best wingers in Ligue 1 and is, crucially, making strides forward with his game. Over the course of the last six months, data analytics firm SciSport reports that he has made “significant development” in his game, which is why elite clubs are hot on his tail now.
The manner in which the Kosovo international has stepped up is reflected by the fact that local media pinpointed him as Lille’s potential matchwinner against Aston Villa in the Conference League. This is despite the fact that striker Jonathan David typically wins more media acclaim.
“Edon is quite a laidback character, that’s his strength, but as a result we always expect more from him,” Nabil Bentaleb admitted.
His style is always to attack - Zhegrova bases his game on Neymar and Lionel Messi, and while his level is not up there with these two greats, he can break a game with his willingness to take on an opponent and beat his man when in 1v1 situations.
And he has been doing so regularly in 2023/24, notably netting a double in the derby win over Lens and striking brilliantly against Sturm Graz in the Conference League.
