27 January 2023 , 10:25
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Arsenal are thought to be on the verge of signing Vitoria Guimaraes defensive midfielder Ibrahima Bamba as they reach 'advanced talks' stage with the player's agent.
Mikel Arteta is keen on bolstering his midfield options, especially after Mohamed Elneny's injury seems worse than first feared. It is widely believed that the Egypt international is expected to miss the majority of the season and therefore the Gunners have stepped up their efforts to land Bamba's signature.
Portuguese outlet Jornal de Noticias have claimed a deal is close to being finalised following Bamba's agent travelling to London earlier this week. Arsenal will be doing all they can to get the switch sorted before the window shuts at the end of the month.
His agent, Filipe Macedo Alves, was quick to try and explain his reason for being in the capital, telling O Jogo : "It is true that I was in London but I was just arriving from Germany where I was watching [Edmond] Tapsoba’s game. Bamba is not the only player I work with.
"He is a player profile that is clearly of interest to many clubs but today he is a Vitoria player and is only focused on Monday’s game against Chaves. The market is open but I’m not going to fuel the rumours."
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From the selling club's perspective, Guimaraes are not in a position where they can be cornered into selling one of their prized assets on the cheap.
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Bamba's current contract runs until the summer of 2026, meaning the Gunners will have to activate the midfielder's £26.3million release clause.
Bamba's rise to the status of Arsenal transfer target has been meteoric, with the 20-year-old only making his Guimaraes debut less than a year ago in February of 2022.
Last year, the midfielder was called up to be part of the senior Italy national team but is yet to actually make his debut for the Azzurri.
Incredibly versatile, Bamba has actually operated in the middle of a back-three for his side this season, but last term he enjoyed a string of stellar performances as a defensive midfielder and that is where Arteta has a vision for him should he make the move to North London.
This interest from the Gunners is not new, with reporting how Arsenal were keeping tabs on the midfielder back in November of last year.
Arteta's men even reached out to Guimaraes and asked to be kept informed of any developments if they were planning on selling him elsewhere, such is their level of keen interest and admiration in Bamba.