by Lewis Ambrose

Along with Liverpool, Valencia and Celtic, Arsenal have been linked with young Belgian winger Zakkaria Bakkali, currently of PSV Eindhoven.

Bakkali, 19, is available on a free transfer this summer having run down his contract with the Dutch giants.

The winger hit the headlines nearly two years ago after a hitting a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over NEC Nijmegen, but his career has since gone very quiet.

That hat-trick made him the youngest player to score three goals in one game in the history of Eredivisie, but his career has since taken a turn for the worse. He hasn’t played an Eredivisie game in over a year.

Atlético Madrid had an agreement to sign the teenager for €3M last summer but he failed to agree personal terms with the club when they wanted to send him out on loan.

For a young star he is in serious danger of throwing it all away.

Controversy

Bakkali refused to sign a deal with PSV which would have given them better terms to negotiate with prospective clubs, and as a result was controversially banished to the reserves.

He trained with and played for the reserves this season, and anyone would certainly be taking a risk by signing someone who can disregard his club like that.

Sure, Bakkali is talented and cheap.

But would Wenger sign such a young player with that kind of attitude?

I highly doubt it.