Arsenal and Chelsea have been linked with Nice midfielder, Jean Michael Seri.
Arsenal were reported to have begun talks to sign the midfielder yesterday, according to Sky Sports – however, Chelsea today emerged as the favourites for the Ivory Coast star, according to The Mirror.
READ MORE: Arsenal closing in on £75million transfers to give clue over who their next manager will be
Arsenal’s head of football relations, Raul Sanllehi, was close to brokering a deal between the midfielder and Barcelona whilst he was still employed by the Catalan club.
The good news for the Gunners is that Sanllehi is reported to have opened up discussions with the player’s representatives – so what could he potentially bring to the Premier League?
Who is Jean-Michael Seri?
Jean-Michael Seri, 26, plies his trade for Nice and is known for his passing and playmaking attributes from midfield.
This season, he boasts impressive numbers in Ligue 1 this season, scoring twice and contributing to five assists in 30 appearances.
However, it is his passing that has caught the attention of many clubs around Europe.
Seri finished with the most accurate passes (2328) in Ligue 1 this season and has tried to make 37 through balls over the last two seasons, as per Sky Sports.
For Ivory Coast, he made his debut in 2015 for the senior side and has scored once in 18 appearances.
Seri’s background
He began his career at Africa Sports in his homeland before moving to ASEC Mimosas in 2010.
Seri then signed a loan deal with FC Porto’s B-team and played 13 times in the second tier and scored once.
Seri them moved to Pacos Ferreira on a free transfer where he continued to impress, notching three goals and seven assists.
This was enough to persuade Nice to snatch Seri for a bargain of £850k and bring him to France where he since seen his stock rise.
The Ivory Coast is valued at £40 million which could see Nice make a huge profit for their prized jewel.