At the start of the season, journalist Miguel Delaney had claimed that Arsenal had made a ‘serious approach’ to sign Seko Fofana.
However, it was believed that Lens convinced their talismanic midfielder to stay put, with the player eventually signing a four-year contract with the club.
Despite Fofana’s decision to commit his long-term future to the Ligue 1 side, there is no denying that the Gunners still need a brand-new midfield addition.
The Ivorian’s ability to operate as both a holding midfielder as well as a No.8 fits the bill for the profile of midfielder Mikel Arteta and Co. would welcome with open arms.
For starters, the in-form, yet injury-prone Thomas Partey has been continually unavailable for chunks of the season during his time at the Emirates Stadium.
In the case of Granit Xhaka, he remains an upgradeable player in the side, despite undergoing a purple patch this season.
At 30 years of age as well, it would ideal for the North Londoners to bring in a younger alternative to the Swiss international.
As part of his daily briefing segment for Caught Offside, Fabrizio Romano discussed Arsenal’s chances of landing Seko Fofana and the price tag at which a potential move could get over the line.
“There’s been some speculation in recent days linking Seko Fofana as a target for Arsenal. I don’t know yet where he’ll end up but I can give my current understanding of the situation”, he said.
Romano added, “Seko Fofana has a new agent now and he’s obviously working to find solutions for 2023. At the moment, it is still early, nothing advanced. But he can be an opportunity for Premier League clubs, also in other leagues. His price tag is €40 million (£35 million).”
With the January transfer window looming, Arsenal could well consider signing Seko Fofana to boost their chances of becoming Premier League champions.