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Arsenal keen on signing 22-year-old star to replace outbound £20m defender

By mac14 on June 10, 2021

According to The Athletic, Arsenal have identified RB Leipzig’s Tyler Adams as a potential replacement for Hector Belllerin this summer.

Bellerin is widely expected to end his long association with Arsenal this summer after struggling to find consistent form last season. The 26-year-old lost his first team place having made just three Premier League appearances since February 21.

Bellerin is now keen to seek a new challenge abroad and Arsenal won’t stand in his way with CBS Sports claiming that we’re prepared to sell the Spaniard if an offer of around £20m is put on the table.

That kind of money would provide Mikel Arteta with a decent budget to find a replacement and The Athletic suggests that Arsenal chiefs have earmarked Adams as the man to fill Bellerin’s boots.

The respected James McNicholas says in his transfer update that Arsenal are showing a keen interest in bringing Adams to the Emirates Stadium and the fact he can also play in midfield will appeal to Arteta.

Arsenal are set to lose a number of midfielders with Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira, Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all expected to leave so Arteta could do with another option in the middle of the park.

Adams would certainly be a solid addition to the squad if Arsenal could sign him but unfortunately the Athletic’s report says a deal will be extremely difficult as RB Leipzig will be reluctant sellers.

The German outfit have already lost Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate so they are desperate not to lose another valuable defender this summer. Adams is under contract until 2025 so Leipzig are under no pressure to sell.

That means Arsenal would have to table an offer they cannot refuse and we’re unlikely to have the kind of money it would take to persuade Leipzig to cash-in as we’re working from a tight budget this summer.

I’d like to see Arsenal sign the 22-year-old but I fear any deal for Adams is going to be difficult so Arteta needs to have more attainable back-up targets in mind.