Transfers of Thursday, 28 May 2015

Source: goal.com

Arsenal want £5 million Jeffrey Schlupp

Jeffrey Schlupp is believed to be the subject of an imminent transfer bid from Arsenal , with the Gunners looking to sign him from Leicester City this summer.

According to the Express , the North London giants are ‘lining up a £5million transfer bid’ for the Black Star and are keen to bring him to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

The defender has demonstrated his class over the last campaign, he was a key figure as the Foxes beat the drop against the odds this season.

The 22-year-old featured 32 times in the Premier League this season, contributing three goals and two assists in a fine campaign.

The Ghanaian’s excellent season was rewarded with both the club’s Young Player of the Season award and the Player’s Player of the Season prize.

The Metro report that the Hamburg-born star’s versatility is one of the key reasons why he has piqued the interest of Arsene Wenger. Indeed, the player has been an influential presence for Nigel Pearson’s up and down the left flank, featuring as a left-back, a left wing-back and as a left-sided midfielder during the just-ended campaign.

The player even featured as a striker earlier in his career.

Despite going 13 games without a win ahead of Christmas, Leicester picked up 22 of the final 27 points available to finish the campaign in 14th.

He may have missed the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, due to a reported injury problem, but Schlupp returned to the national team for the recent international friendly double-header against Senegal and Mali. Both the Leicester man and Abdul Rahman Baba are competing for the Black Stars’ left-back berth and Avram Grant can be delighted with the options he has at his disposal for this position.

Should the former Brentford loanee move to Arsenal, he will likely compete with England international Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal for the left-back spot. However, with Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao believed to be keen on taking the Spain international back to La Liga, Arsenal may well be looking for a new option for this role, adding credence to the Schlupp reports.