EXCLUSIVE: La Liga club look to Championship for dream replacement for Arsenal, Tottenham target
Sevilla believe that Blackburn star Ben Brereton Diaz can be the ideal replacement for Arsenal and Tottenham target Youssef En-Nesyri, TEAMtalk understands.
Diaz moved to Ewood Park from Nottingham Forest in January 2019, but had a slow start to life there. In fact, it took him 24 Championship games for him to register his first league goal for the club.
While he also struggled for goals in the 2019/20 season, he ended last season on a strong note. Indeed, Brereton Diaz received his first call-up to the Chile national team.
Following a starring role at Copa America, the 22-year-old has begun the current campaign in blistering form. He has netted 10 goals in 11 Championship games, scooping the second tier’s Player of the Month award for September as a result.
TEAMtalk now understands that Sevilla are pondering a raid on him amid doubts over En-Nesyri’s future.
The La Liga club have scouted the world for possible signings, but keep coming back to Brereton Diaz’s name.
Morocco international En-Nesyri was the subject of a transfer bid from West Ham in the January transfer window this year.
Arsenal, Tottenham and Brighton have also made checks on him this season.
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Diaz finds himself in a similar situation at Blackburn and talks over a new contract for him have so far failed to experience a breakthrough.
While his contract expires next summer, though, Rovers do have an option on him. As such, they would get a fee for him in the summer no matter what.
Blackburn boss hails Brereton Diaz transformation
Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray hailed Brereton Diaz for his transformation since his recent appearances for Chile.
He said: “Ben’s contribution last month, and during the start to the season as a whole, has been a real bonus to the team, especially with the loss of Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliott, who scored the bulk of the goals for us last season.
“Somebody needed to step up and I think Ben Brereton has done just that.
“We haven’t altered his position, he’s not playing right down the middle, he’s coming in off the left-hand side and he’s shown how potent he can be by coming in onto his right foot and getting in the six-yard box and scoring lots of different types of goals.
“He’s scored some headers, he’s bent a few in on his right foot, he’s scored some tap-ins, he’s scored some penalties, he’s done very well and hopefully when he returns from the international break he can keep it going.”
En-Nesyri, meanwhile, has a contract at Sevilla until 2025 and he has scored three goals in seven games this season.