According to claims from French source Foot Sur 7, Arsenal are interested in signing French international winger Florian Thauvin in the summer, with manager Unai Emery reportedly a big fan of the 26-year-old attacker.
Thauvin wants to leave Marseille in the summer and the report also adds that the Gunners would need to fend off interest from Roma, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and AC Milan if they are to land the Frenchman.
Thauvin endured an ill-fated spell at Newcastle United earlier in his career following a £15 million move from Marseille in the summer of 2015 where he failed to make any significant impact.
That, however, hasn’t stopped Unai Emery from pursuing a keen interest in the 2018 World Cup winner, who has rediscovered his mojo as a prolific goalscorer since returning to his homeland after his struggles at Tyneside.
Thauvin has rebuilt his reputation as one of the most feared attackers in the French top flight and has been in red-hot form in Ligue 1 this season, scoring 13 goals and setting up another 6 from 29 appearances in the league.
The Frenchman netted a staggering 26 goals in all competitions last season as Marseille reached the finals of the Europa League and he has continued his merry way this term as well, putting himself on the radar of some of the top clubs in Europe.
Essentially a right-winger by trade, Florian Thauvin is a technically-gifted creative ace who is also capable of playing on the left and through the centre in a No.10 role.
Noted for his blistering pace, agility, athleticism, vision, creativity and mesmerizing dribbling skills, Thauvin boasts of excellent close control which allows him to run with the ball glued to his feet.
His ability to shift gears quickly and change directions in the blink of an eye combined with his trickery on the ball make him a potent threat down the flanks in the attacking third. One of his main attributes is his ability to dribble at good pace and he is more than capable of leaving the opposition flat-footed with sharp turns and jaw-dropping nutmegs.
Thauvin uses his stronger left foot to cut inside from the wings, either fancying a shot on goal or linking up with his teammates to create chances. To go with his obvious pace, flair and quality on the ball, the Frenchman also has the awareness to make subtle runs into the box to finish off chances.
Blessed with good vision and boasting of plenty of creativity in his armoury, Thauvin is also a recognised distance shooter and a clinical finisher inside the box.
To put things into perspective, Arsenal have no reason to worry about Thauvin’s failure to make an impact in the Premier League earlier in his career at Newcastle.
He has blossomed into a world-class attacker in recent times and moving to a top club in England might bring the best out of him and help him take his career to the next level. A player of his calibre definitely deserves a second chance to prove himself and moving for him does make a lot of sense.
Arsenal have put up a strong challenge for a top-four finish in the Premier League in their first season under Unai Emery, despite being handicapped by injuries to several of their key players at the back.
Having shown plenty of promise this season, the Gunners should look to consolidate under their new manager and bringing in some fresh faces would certainly do their cause a world of good.
With Aaron Ramsey and Danny Welbeck set to depart for free in the summer and big-earners Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan failing to live up to the expectations, Arsenal should look to invest in new players. Denis Suarez has struggled to cope with the physical nature of the Premier League and making his loan move permanent would make little sense for Arsenal.
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Thauvin looks more like the real deal, though Arsenal would probably have to finish in the top four to have a realistic chance at a potential deal for the Frenchman.