Amid speculation and reported agreements, French centre back Evan N’Dicka has agreed a five-year deal with AS Roma, dispelling previous rumours of an Arsenal transfer.

• Evan N’Dicka secures a five-year deal with AS Roma, contrary to previous rumours of an agreement with Arsenal.
• The French centre back was allegedly set to join the Gunners on a free transfer in the summer, following the expiry of his contract with Eintracht Frankfurt.
• N’Dicka’s experience and proven track record had made him a promising target for Arsenal, but reliable sources remained quiet on any pre-contract agreement.

In a world of transfers marked by whispers and leaked agreements, it’s not uncommon for the expected path to take unexpected turns. Case in point: Evan N’Dicka‘s recent signing with AS Roma, which discredits previous speculation of a potential move to Arsenal.

From Frankfurt to Roma: The N’Dicka narrative

The 23-year-old French centre back’s journey began in Frankfurt, where he made a name for himself with standout performances, landing him a spot on the Bundesliga Team of the Season and a UEFA Europa League title with Eintracht Frankfurt.

As his contract expiry loomed, N’Dicka’s future became a subject of widespread speculation, with Arsenal appearing as a front runner in the race.

An Arsenal agreement?

Reports at the start of the year suggested that Arsenal had already secured an agreement with N’Dicka, a proposition that made sense given Arsenal’s lack of left-footed left-centre-backs.

The defender’s experience and statistics painted him as a good fit, and it seemed the Gunners were willing to wait out his contract expiry, snapping him up on a free transfer.

However, in football, the distance between speculation and reality can often be vast. Despite previous rumours, it has now been confirmed that N’Dicka will sign a five-year deal with AS Roma.

Evan N’Dicka joins AS Roma on free deal as expected — here we go 🟡🔴 #Roma

French centre back will sign until June 2028, five year deal agreed.

There will be signing fee included.

N’Dicka, on his way to Roma with his agents in order to undergo medicals and sign the contract. pic.twitter.com/UouJJ0tVMs

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 13, 2023

A rumour put to rest

Although some media outlets suggested a pre-contract agreement between N’Dicka and Arsenal, no concrete evidence or confirmation emerged from reliable sources.

The Gunners, under the helm of Mikel Arteta, are expected to continue to explore options, especially in strengthening their defence. The potential addition of a left-footed centre-back, however, remains a keen topic of interest.