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Arsenal open talks over signing of £13m French defender

By on July 7, 2016

According to L’Equipe, Arsenal have opened talks with Lille over a potential deal to sign £13m-rated full-back Djibril Sidibe this summer.

Sidibe came through the youth ranks at Troyes before moving to Lille in 2012 and he’s developed in to one of the best full-backs in French football over the past few years.

The 23-year-old caught the attention of AS Monaco and looked all set to secure a move after they agreed a €15m (£13m) deal with Lille earlier this week with midfielder Rony Lopes heading on loan in the opposite direction.

The transfer was understood to be a matter of hours from completion, however, L’Equipe claim that in the past 48 hours Arsenal have made contact with Lille to try and hijack Monaco’s deal.

The respected French outlet says that Arsene Wenger has made Sidibe’s signing a priority and is now in advanced negotiations with the Ligue 1 outfit to try and get a deal agreed.

Sidibe, a French Under-21 international, is capable of playing at right-back but he’s predominantly a left-back so it looks as though Arsene is eyeing him as a potential replacement for Kieran Gibbs – who’s been tipped to leave the club after losing his place to Nacho Monreal.

Gibbs started just three Premier League games last season and while I’d personally love to see him stay as I think he’s a solid player and excellent pro, it would be understandable if he feels he needs to move on in search of regular football.

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We’ve been strongly linked with Swiss full-back Ricardo Rodriguez in recent weeks but Sidibe would be a cheaper alternative and it looks as though Wenger is hoping to lure the French youngster to north London this summer.