Arsenal are reportedly leading the race to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is also being targeted by Premier League rivals Manchester City.
According to a report by The Sun, Arsenal have joined the chase for 21-year-old English full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Gunners are even prepared to shell out £40 million to land the Crystal Palace defender, who is also the subject of interest from Premier League champions Manchester City.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been a part of Crystal Palace since he was an 11-year-old, and has seen a major change in his role over the years. Initially starting out as a winger, the Englishman has gone on to become a full-back since breaking into the first-team setup last season.
His progress this term has been nothing short of remarkable, with the 21-year-old establishing himself as a mainstay in Roy Hodgson’s side. Additionally, Wan-Bissaka is also considered to be one of the best full-backs in the Premier League this season, which has reportedly alerted Manchester City and Arsenal, among others.
Pep Guardiola already has a couple of right-backs at his disposal, with Danilo being an able backup to Kyle Walker. But, the Manchester City boss still seems to be intent on possibly signing Wan-Bissaka, having been linked with the English full-back in recent weeks.
The interest could perhaps, be due to Walker’s poor performances this season, but the Englishman still remains one of the best full-backs in the game. Manchester City though, now face stiff competition from Arsenal in pursuit of Wan-Bissaka.
The Gunners’ first-choice right-back Hector Bellerin has been beset by injury problems this season, the latest of which has ruled him out for the rest of the season. His backup, Stephan Lichtsteiner, who joined last summer from Juventus, is only likely to be a stopgap at 35.
The Swiss defender though, has struggled to deputize effectively in Bellerin’s absence this season, forcing Unai Emery to deploy Ainsley Maitland-Niles as a makeshift right-back. So, the interest in Wan-Bissaka does make sense, all things considered.
The report, meanwhile, adds that Arsenal are now leading the race to sign the Crystal Palace superstar, as they are willing to meet the Eagles’ £40 million valuation of the player. The Gunners will also fancy their chances of snapping up the 21-year-old as City are only monitoring him for now, as per The Sun.
The summer transfer window is still a few months away, but till then, it remains to be seen how things develop. For now though, as the The Sun, Arsenal are ahead of Manchester City and other suitors in the race to sign Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
