Mikel Arteta is now driving Arsenal’s move to sign Scott McTominay, with the manager of the belief the Scot would be the perfect addition to his midfield, and Napoli’s asking price has been revealed.
Arteta is already blessed with a wide array of options in central midfield, having signed Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi in the summer, while Declan Rice also continues to impress, receiving plaudits from Gary Neville after the recent 4-1 North London derby victory.
Neville said: “The only player you would be worried about losing for a period of time would be Declan Rice because you cannot replace that,”
“That is your Roy Keane, that is your Rodri, the player that holds you together. There is only one of them.”
However, despite strengthening considerably in the summer, the Gunners have struggled injury-wise this season, with Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus being ruled out against Tottenham Hotspur, meaning Mikel Merino had to lead the line.
As such, it could be a wise idea to bring in another central midfielder in the transfer window, and Arteta is personally a fan of a Serie A star…
Arteta driving Arsenal move for Scott McTominay
According to a report from Spain, Arteta believes McTominay could be the ideal addition to his midfield, with Arsenal closely monitoring the Napoli star’s performances over the past few months.
The Spanish manager rates the Scotland international highly due to his ability and press forward, and there are signs that a deal could be possible, though Andrea Berta will have to stump up £60m.
The 28-year-old is under contract until 2029, meaning Napoli are in a strong negotiating position at present, but interest from elsewhere is growing, with Manchester United also joining the race to re-sign their former player.
The Napoli star has certainly taken his career to new heights since leaving Old Trafford, with football writer Mark Carruthers praising him for the part he played in the Serie A side winning the title last season.
The former Man United man displayed his attacking quality as Napoli went on to win the league, picking up 12 goals and six assists in 34 Serie A outings, and he recently scored a remarkable bicycle kick as Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for the World Cup.
It may be difficult for McTominay to force his way into the Arsenal starting XI ahead of Rice and Zubimendi, but he would certainly provide Arteta with fantastic depth in the middle of the park.
