Arsenal have had their first official bid of the summer turned down, according to a report, after offering €7m for Lorient attacking-midfielder/winger Alexis Claude-Maurice.
First, it’s worth emphasising again that Claude-Maurice is not a striker. The mainstream media keep calling him an ‘attacker’, which is confusing people into believing he plays up front, but he’s actually a winger or attacking midfielder. Arsenal aren’t after him to replace Danny Welbeck or Eddie Nketiah.
Mohamed Toubache-TER, who broke the news of Matteo Guendouzi’s transfer to Arsenal last summer, reports (via GFFN) that the Gunners have returned to Lorient with a €7m (£6.17m) bid for Claude-Maurice this time around. Though this offer was rejected, Arsenal are expected to return with another very soon, closer to his £9m valuation.
Every goal and assist from Alexis Claude-Maurice in the 2018/19 season. He’s definitely got a good long-shot on him. #AFCpic.twitter.com/oNaJLFhDCy
— Dan Critchlow (@afcDW) May 25, 2019
The likes of AS Monaco and Lille are also interested in the 20-year-old, but Claude-Maurice himself is reportedly desperate to join Arsenal, linking up with former teammate Guendouzi.
The French u20 international has 14 goals and four assists in 36 games this season, mostly playing out wide on the left. He seems to have a lot of promise, and Guendouzi has already shown it’s possible to make the step up, but it’s up to Arsenal to negotiate an agreeable deal with Lorient now.