According to reports in The Mirror, Arsenal target Abdoulaye Doucoure could be sold by Watford this summer, but the Hornets will demand £40m for a player they signed for just £6m just over two years ago.
What’s the word, then?
Well, The Mirror says that the Gunners, along with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are all monitoring the highly-rated Frenchman following an impressive campaign for the Hertfordshire-based outfit.
The Mirror says that Watford may have to sell either the 25-year-old or his teammate Richarlison this summer to stay in the black financially however, although they are ready to demand a big fee for Doucoure.
The report adds that owner Gino Pozzo’s business model is based on discovering rough diamonds, improving them and then making a huge profit on them, and that could certainly be the case this summer.
How has Doucoure done this season?
He has been excellent.
The versatile midfielder, who can play in a defensive, central or central attacking role, has scored seven goals and provided a further three assists in 30 Premier League appearances for Watford this term, catching the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the English top flight.
According to WhoScored.com, his main strengths are his passing, shooting and his concentration, and he has made 36 key passes in those 30 Premier League outings, while he has won 67 of the 106 tackles he has attempted and successfully completed 34 of the 42 dribbles he has attempted to showcase his ability as an all-round midfielder.
Would he be a good signing for Arsenal?
He certainly would be, yes.
The Gunners are still missing that strength and energy in the middle of the park at times and there is no doubt that Doucoure would bring that, although they would perhaps like him to sit and protect the back four on most occasions, rather than bombing forward.
The Frenchman could be seen as competition or even as a replacement for Granit Xhaka, who continues to fail to win over the fans despite being a regular for them in the Premier League.
Will they pay £40m?
It’s difficult to say.
While it isn’t an outrageous fee in this day and age Arsenal may have reservations and feel they can get a similar or better player from elsewhere in Europe for a lower price.
If not however, then they should invest in the 25-year-old who has shown he has the ability to make an impact at one of the top Premier League teams.
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