In a recent report, Sport claimed that Arsenal are among the clubs hoping to land Olympique Lyonnais winger Malick Fofana. It is believed that the Gunners would have to compete with Liverpool and Barcelona in the race to land the Belgian wide player next year.
Fofana’s Impressive Form In Ligue 1
Fofana has caught the eye at times with his performances on the left side of Lyon’s attack this season. The Belgian wing wizard has found the back of the net twice and picked up one assist in 12 matches for the French club in this campaign so far across various competitions.
The 20-year-old has proven his worth in the final third as he is averaging 2.25 shots per 90 minutes in Ligue 1. He has kept 50% of his attempts on target. Fofana has also been careful when distributing possession in the opponent’s half, based on his pass success rate of 75.1% in the French first division (stats via fbref.com).
His current contract at the French club will run out in the summer of 2028. Hence, it won’t be easy for the Gunners to land him on a cut-price deal next year.
Should Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta Snap Fofana Up?
Fofana is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet and has got the eye to play some decisive passes on the offensive end of the field. He can shoot the ball with power from long range and can chip in by scoring and creating his fair share of goals from the wide areas.
The Belgian sensation is primarily a left-winger but can also operate as a right-sided wide player if told to do so by his manager. However, there are some concerns over whether he can maintain his good form in the Premier League if the Gunners manage to recruit him next year.
Fofana would bring more quality and depth to Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s attack. He is good enough to compete for a regular first-team place at the North London club.
At 20, the future looks quite bright for Fofana as long as he continues to improve with each season. Therefore, Arteta should try everything in his power to snap him up this January or at the end of this campaign.