Arsenal join growing list of clubs chasing £45m Bundesliga centre-back

Ibrahima Konate TEAMtalk

Arsenal have reportedly joined the growing list of top European sides monitoring the progress of RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate.

The 21-year-old Frenchman has been earning rave reviews playing alongside another Premier League target in Dayot Upamecano in Germany.

And now German publication Sport Bild, as cited by the Daily Mail, claims that the Gunners are ready to throw their name into the ring.

Bild states that ‘many sides from England’ are keen on the youngster, with the Premier League his most likely destination.

However, at this stage Leipzig are not keen on selling – meaning any club would need to meet Konate’s exit clause.

That currently stands at a whopping €50million (£45m), making him a potential big-money signing this January.

Arsenal already spent big on Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes over the summer, while they still have William Saliba on their books.

The talented stopper is currently on loan at former Saint Etienne, but is expected to have a big future in north London.


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Leipzig’s stance on Konate is not that surprising, given Upamecano’s string links to Manchester United and Liverpool.

The Bundesliga outfit do not want to lose both players and probably figure Konate has slightly more upside.

The 22-year-old is widely expected to depart at the end of the season. Like Konate he has a £45m release clause written into his contract.

 

Aubameyang makes Arsenal admission

Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang admits he was not 100 per cent focused on every single match he played for the club before taking the captaincy.

The 31-year-old was made club skipper a year ago after Granit Xhaka was stripped of the armband following a clash with Gunners supporters.

 

The Gabon star was already a crucial player at The Emirates but the captaincy has elevated his game.

He lifted two trophies for the club this year thanks to a brace in the FA Cup win over Chelsea. His strike also saw Arsenal beat Liverpool in the Community Shield.

But it seems the captaincy has forced Aubameyang to show greater focus in every Gunners game.

“I think [I have changed], yeah,” he told Arsenal.com.

“Because you feel a lot of responsibilities and I think I am trying to give everything in every single game.

“I think before maybe, I don’t know, it was not done on purpose. But maybe sometimes I was a little bit less concerned on certain games.

“But now I am just focusing on every game and trying to give my best. Even if I’m on the bench I try to scream and help my team-mates. So yeah I think it’s changed me.” Read more…