Mikel Arteta’s side is usually a year ahead in their transfer plans, and their recent move to sign Real Sociedad ace Mikel Merino justifies this point.
Arsenal Fanatics News has learnt of a new talent that you may not have heard of, but the Gunners are scouting.
IN SCOUTING CIRCLES THE BUZZ OFF THE GRID IS ABOUT OIHAN SANCET !!!
Arsenal are interested in Athletic Bilbao star Oihan Sancet and are keeping tabs on the Spaniard.
The Premier League elites want to be ahead in this race and have been tracking his progress since he burst onto the scene at San Mames.
The Basque clubs are known to produce future academy talents. Unai Simon, Ander Herrera, Inaki and Nico Williams, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Aymeric Laporte are from their prestigious academy. Sancet is next in line, with his recent performances attracting attention from the top.
The 24-year-old moved to Bilbao’s youth ranks in 2015 before making his first senior appearance in 2020. He hasn’t stopped since then and has already scored two goals in two games in La Liga this season.
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The attacking midfielder is a subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur as well. He is under contract until 2032. The Spanish club knew about the dangers of ignoring his extension calls and decided to offer him a new contract last year.
They value Sancet at €50 million, which is easier to reach for a side like Arsenal. However, the main question arises: Does the talisman offer a different profile for the Gunners?
PLAYER ANALYSIS: OIHAN SANCET
The attacking midfielder loves to play short passes and dribble with perfection. He is not a box-to-box player, but he can complement Declan Rice by letting him move forward with more freedom.
Sancet, being 6 feet 2 inches tall, is a strong player in the middle. He is great in one-on-one situations and is most effective on the right side. The Spanish star looks for spaces to exploit and has started to work on his final ball.
He was criticised for his poor finishing, but his first goal of the current La Liga season has something else to say. The academy star scored a long-range banger against Getafe to seal all three points.
On the defensive aspect, he avoids diving into tackles and prefers to press relentlessly. He is a hard-working lad who needs a raise.
8️⃣ Oihan Sancet 8️⃣
Back in May, we mentioned how Sancet had completed a good season, but one far from perfect.
This was mainly due to his missed goalscoring chances. We needed to see better from him.
And the other day, we did 🤯🧨⚽️ pic.twitter.com/cALCUzofhK
— Athletic Roars (@athleticroars) August 20, 2024
Arsenal lacks a substitute for Martin Ødegaard and might look at Sancet as a potential alternative. The Bilbao star can also play as a false nine and this gives an extra edge in attack.
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The North London side has a decision to make. The player is not far away from being called out by the Spanish national team. Although this won’t cause his price to skyrocket suddenly, it is better if the English giants secure a deal asap.
Other clubs are nowhere near and it might be due to the silence they have shown while discovering this wonderkid from Bilbao. It remains to be seen whether the Gooners seize a new midfielder or look for a fresh attacker in the next few days.
