Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to go head-to-head in pursuit of Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri in the summer
According to a report in The Guardian, Arsenal and Tottenham have both registered an interest in OGC Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri, and are all set to make a move to sign him in the summer transfer window.
Seri has been the bedrock of Nice’s success this season, as the French Riviera outfit have charged up to 3rd in the Ligue 1 table and are primed to play in the Champions League in 2016/17. Nice sit just three points behind defending champions PSG, and a shock second place finish cannot be ruled out.
Seri, in particular, has been one of the standout performers for the club and his undoubted quality was on display again last week, when his side ran out comfortable 3-1 winners over PSG.
RUMOUR: Arsenal and Chelsea fighting over 25 year old Nice midfielder, Jean Seri.#nice #news pic.twitter.com/Wl6Lymc1uh
— Premier League News (@YourPLNews) May 4, 2017
His numbers are quite impressive as well, with the 25-year-old has managed to score 6 goals while providing 9 assists in 36 matches across all competitions. His exploits haven’t gone unnoticed, as some of the best clubs in Europe are starting to express an interest in him.
North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are the latest sides that have been linked with the Ivory Coast international. The two Premier League heavyweights have watched Seri in action on several occasions over the course of the campaign and are ready to make a move for him in the summer.
At Arsenal, inconsistent performances in midfield have been underpinned as one of the reasons for the club’s failures this season. Indeed, Francis Coquelin has endured a nightmarish campaign as he has failed to match the highs of the last two seasons.
Meanwhile, the likes of Mohamed Elneny, Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka have blown hot and cold, much to the frustration of Arsene Wenger. On top of that, Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal future is under a cloud and Santi Cazorla’s fitness issues are a major concern.
That makes a midfield reinforcement a desperate need of the hour for the Arsenal boss, and Seri will certainly be a welcome addition at the Emirates. However, they will face a tough battle in pursuit of Seri, as Tottenham are also showing keen interest in him.
Tottenham boss, Mauricio Pochettino does have three high quality central midfielders in Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama at his disposal. But Seri brings different qualities to the table than the three aforementioned players, which means he will add a lot of value to Spurs’ squad, if signed.
Seri can also be played in advanced role, giving company to Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli to provide support to Harry Kane. Barcelona have also been monitoring the player’s progress, and it remains to be seen if the Catalan club enters the market for him in the summer.
Seri still has more than two years remaining on his current deal with Nice, and his contract has a release clause of £33 million. However, the report states that the French club would be willing to sell the player for as little as £20 million, which is an amount both Arsenal and Tottenham should be happy to pay.
It now remains to be seen which side makes the first attempt to land Seri, as interest in him continues to grow.
