Arsenal and Chelsea are in battle over a deal to sign Monaco’s right winger Maghnes Akliouche, according to Media Foot.
A difficult opening to the campaign forced Monaco into an early managerial change, with Adi Hütter departing at the start of the season after a poor run of results.
Since Sébastien Pocognoli took charge, Les Rouge et Blanc have undergone a notable revival and are now in the midst of a seven-game winning run in Ligue 1.
Central to that upturn has been Akliouche, whose attacking flair and inventive play have been driving forces behind Monaco’s resurgence.
Across all competitions this season, the 24-year-old has recorded seven goals and eight assists, with a standout display coming in the 3–1 victory over league leaders Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes last month, where he both scored and assisted.
Another impressive performance followed in Sunday’s 2–1 win against Marseille, once again underlining his ability to deliver in high-profile fixtures.
Now, after a series of impressive performances for Monaco, Media Foot reports that Akliouche’s performances have led to ‘concrete’ interest from several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, ahead of next summer’s transfer window.
For Arsenal, the report claims that the Premier League leaders are now very keen on signing the Frenchman and have been in contact with his representatives in recent months to discuss his potential transfer to the Emirates Stadium.
Battle
Chelsea, on the other hand, have formally entered the race for the attacker in recent days, having been impressed by his displays for club and country, and are now looking to launch a swoop for the 24-year-old, according to the report.
Monaco have placed a £52-60m valuation on Akliouche, according to the report, so it’ll be interesting to see which of the London giants completes his transfer in the summer.
Despite spending significantly to reinforce their attack last summer, both Chelsea and Arsenal need additional quality up front.
The Blues added Joao Pedro, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and Estevao, but only Joao Pedro has lived up to expectations, with the rest struggling to make their marks.
On the other hand, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze were added to Mikel Arteta’s frontline, and the trio has been influential to the Gunners’ title challenge this season.
Still, Akliouche’s versatility, creativity, and high technical level would make him a solid option to provide depth and an additional threat to either club’s attack.
