Yves Bissouma’s agent, Michael N’Cho, claimed the reports linking Arsenal with his client are genuine, among a number of interested clubs.

Brighton's Ivorian midfielder Yves Bissouma (C) comes under pressure from Liverpool's Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino (L) and Liverpool's Portuguese striker Diogo Jota during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on November 28, 2020. (Photo by MIKE HEWITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Brighton’s Ivorian midfielder Yves Bissouma (C) comes under pressure from Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino (L) and Diogo Jota on November 28, 2020. (Photo by MIKE HEWITT / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Back in December, Jonathan Shrager reported that Michael N’Cho confirmed to him there was ‘significant’ interest in Yves Bissouma ahead of the January transfer window, with Manchester United and Liverpool joining Arsenal among the Premier League teams after him.

There was also said to be interest from abroad, with Monaco and two La Liga teams following the midfielder.

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook also claimed Mikel Arteta likes the Brighton midfielder, calling him a ‘big fan’.

Bissouma is a defensive midfielder, so it was no surprise Arsenal weren’t particularly interested in pushing for a January move. They needed to bring a midfielder in during the winter window with creativity and attacking threat and that’s exactly what they did with the loan deal for Martin Odegaard.

But for the long term, Arsenal pretty much need to overhaul their entire midfield, with none of the senior options particularly impressing at the moment. The plan could be to start Bissouma deep with Thomas Partey and a creative midfielder ahead of him.

Bissouma signed for Brighton in the summer of 2018, moving from Lille for £15.21m.

He is under contract until 2023 and worth around £11.7m.