Arsenal are in need of a winger and their search for pace on the wings have seen them go after the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Carrasco. However, the latest name being linked with the north London giants looks to be a better fit for their transfer budget.
That man is none other than Yacine Brahimi, the Algerian attacker who plies his trade at Porto. The 29-year-old's contract with the Dragons have expired, meaning clubs have the liberty of landing his services for free and the Gunners are tipped to be the favorites.
Portuguese news outlet A Bola cites a report by Algerian paper La Gazette Du Fennec to back their claim that the North African ace is on his way to the Emirates Stadium. The two parties are reportedly in advanced negotiations, with the financial advantage of playing for a top Premier League side proving too hard to resist.
Everton and West Ham are two other English clubs keen on Brahimi, while there has also been interest from Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas. Should Arsenal complete this deal, they will add a player who scored 13 goals and assisted nine in all competitions last season to their ranks.
To put those numbers into perspective, the club's 2018/19 Player of the Season Alexandre Lacazette had the most assists for the Gunners in the Premier League and that tally stood at only eight. Furthermore, the Frenchman was their second-highest goalscorer in the English top-flight with 13 goals. However, it should be noted that Brahimi's numbers are from all competitions and not the domestic league alone.
The Algerian scored 10 goals in the Primeira Liga last season, helping Porto to the title. That league tally would have made him Arsenal's third-highest scorer in the English top-flight
With the Carrasco links having died down and Crystal Palace pricing Zaha at $126M, Brahimi could be the affordable option Emery's side have been looking for. This could allow them to spend their limited transfer budget on reinforcing other key positions, mainly in defense and midfield.
