Mikel’s ‘missing piece’: Arsenal lining up £69m offer for

Arsenal are reportedly planning a big-money move for Athletic Bilbao attacker Oihan Sancet.

The 25-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2024-25 campaign for the Lions, scoring 17 goals and registering three assists in 36 appearances in all competitions.

Sancet has one goal in four appearances this term, meanwhile, and he was a part of the Athletic side that faced Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

According to Fichajes, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta was hugely impressed by Sancet’s display in the contest and believes that he could be ‘the missing piece’ for the Gunners.

The report claims that the North London club would be willing to pay in the region of €80m (£69m) to sign the Spaniard next summer, but they could face competition for his signature if he enjoys another strong season.

Arsenal ‘planning’ big-money move for Athletic’s Sancet

Indeed, Manchester United and Aston Villa have also been credited with an interest in the attacker, who has represented the Lions on 197 occasions in all competitions, scoring 43 goals and registering 18 assists in the process.

According to Sofascore, Sancet completed 18 of his 21 passes against Arsenal, two of which were key passes, while he won three of his five aerial duels in the clash with the Gunners.

Sancet was certainly one of Athletic’s most productive players during the Champions League affair, but a professional performance from Arteta’s side saw the visitors pick up all three points.

It is unlikely that Sancet would be signed for that price as back-up, so it would be very interesting to see where he would fit into the XI considering that the captain Martin Odegaard is first choice in the number 10 spot.

Would Sancet be a good signing for Arsenal?

Athletic, for obvious reasons, will be determined to keep hold of Sancet, but it would be very difficult for the attacker to turn down the chance to make the move to the Premier League at this stage of his career.

Sancet only scored six times in 2023-24 before bursting into life last term with 17 in all competitions, and he certainly has the quality to be a success in the Premier League.

That said, a move of this magnitude would only make sense if Odegaard was on his way out; Sancet can also play as a false nine, but he would also surely be behind both Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz in that area of the field if he made the move to the Emirates Stadium.

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