The Gunners lead the way in securing Standard’s Batshuayi.
Standard Liege striker Michy Batshuayi appears to be edging ever closer to a transfer to Arsenal as Benfica fail to secure an agreement for the youngster, according to talkSPORT.
Reports from Belgium suggested that a deal had been tied up for the Portuguese side to sign the 20-year-old in the summer, but those have turned out not to be true.
This gives the Gunners renewed hope in their own pursuit of Batshuayi, particularly as the forward himself admitted a switch to the Emirates Stadium would be an attractive prospect.
“I am interested in the German and English championships. They are physical and technical championships,” the Belgium Under-21 international was quoted by the Metro.
“Personally, I like Arsenal. There is a good philosophy at the club where trust is given to young players. This is a very technical team playing good football, and since I was little this was a team who I liked.”
Batshuayi has been impressing with Standard since breaking into the first team back in 2011 and since then has made 112 matches for the Belgian side in all competitions.
This term has been particularly prolific for the attacker, who already has 18 league goals in just 29 matches and it was this form that drew interest from Europe’s elite.
Benfica targeted Batshuayi as a replacement for Rodrigo – who is expected to leave the Estadio da Luz this summer, with Liverpool the most likely destination.
However, with a lack of strikers currently in the north Londoners’ squad manager Arsene Wenger is also keeping a close eye on developments.
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