According to reports, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has asked the Arsenal board to sign AC Milan star Brahim Diaz this summer with the the club already having made a move for the Spanish international.
The 23-year old started his career within the Manchester City academy, however due to a lack of first-team opportunities he decided to leave England and join Spanish giants, Real Madrid in 2019.
He only made 21 senior appearances in Spain before joining Milan on loan in 2020 and has been playing for the Italian giants ever since.
Mikel Arteta is looking to improve his quality in depth ahead of Arsenal’s return to the Champions League next season and one position that remains a priority is bringing in a back-up for Bukayo Saka.
Diaz is a versatile player who can cover many positions across the attacking front three, however his preferred position is off the right, where Saka currently operates for the Gunners.
The 23-year-old has featured in 25 games in the Serie A this season, scoring 5 goals & recording 3 assists. However, in the Champions League, Diaz was one of the standout performers for Milan, with him scoring a goal against Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham, putting Rossoneri through to the quarter-finals.
Although he has been playing for Milan for over three years now, he is still contracted to Real Madrid with it looking like Los Blancos are satisfied with Brahim’s development and could make a decision on his future very shortly, with his contract expiring in the summer of 2025.
According to Corriere Dello Sport, AC Milan are keen to sign the Spaniard on a permanent transfer come the end of the season, with Real Madrid expected to demand a fee of around £23million. The Spanish giants will listen to all offers, with the player set to make a decision on his future ahead of next season and Arsenal are one of the teams already having made a move for the 23-year-old.
Mikel Arteta has a track record of improving young talented wingers as a Manchester City coach with the likes of Sterling & Sane and of course now at Arsenal with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli & Bukayo Saka.
There is no doubt that Diaz is a Mikel Arteta type of player and would thrive in the current Arsenal system, so it is definitely one to monitor over the next couple of months.
