Arsenal
Premier League • England
Arteta eyes crafty Arsenal raid on former club for in-form £44m star after making approach
Arsenal are among the admirers of a defender who is currently thriving for a club Mikel Arteta knows well, according to a report.
Arteta has inspired a Premier League title challenge from Arsenal this season. At the very least, he looks to have finally got them back in the Champions League for next season. Hence, the club will use the summer transfer window to upgrade their squad further.
Now, a report from Spain has unearthed their interest in Robin Le Normand, who plays for Real Sociedad – Arteta’s hometown club and one he used to represent during his own playing career too.
A centre-back, Le Normand has impressed this season across 34 appearances in all competitions, including 26 in La Liga. His side currently sit in the top four thanks in part to his efforts.
Nevertheless, Real Sociedad are bracing themselves for interest in Le Normand this summer. According to a report by Matteo Moretto, Arsenal already made an approach for him in January.
That month, they invested in their defence by bringing in Jakub Kiwior from Spezia instead. But perhaps they still have plans in mind for Le Normand too.
Moretto has made it clear that there will be other competition to bring Le Normand to the Premier League. However, who the rival suitors are remains a mystery for the time being.
To get their man, Arsenal would have to activate Le Normand’s release clause. Real Sociedad are not willing to negotiate a price lower than that €50million (£44m) sum. (Some other sources believe the clause is actually worth €60m or just shy of £53m).
Even so, the Basque club have decided to put their faith in their academy graduate Jon Pacheco to take Le Normand’s role in the team if the Frenchman – who is also eligible to represent the Spain national team – does depart.
Arsenal could offer Le Normand the next step
Le Normand is due to be under contract at the Anoeta until 2026. He has made a total of 171 appearances since becoming a member of the Real Sociedad first team in 2018.
Previously, he made one appearance for Brest in his native country before joining Real Sociedad’s B team in 2016.
The next step of his career, at the age of 26, could be to join a club like Arsenal. If he was to end up at the Emirates Stadium, he would join a centre-back department already consisting of William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Benjamin White (who has mainly been playing at right-back this season), Rob Holding and Kiwior.
Saliba and Holding will both be out of contract by the end of next season. That said, Arsenal are working to keep the former for longer, while rumour has it that the latter will be sticking around regardless next season.
Still, they seem to be keeping their options open with other targets in mind as they plan for every possible scenario.
Le Normand has earned experience in the Europa League for each of the past three seasons. However, he is yet to reach Champions League level.
One way or another, he might be about to change that next season.