Arsenal are reportedly considering a move for Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal face competition from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid to secure the signature of the 25-year-old. The Mirror writes: “Representatives of the club are understood to have met with the Napoli star’s agents in a bid to understand his demands.”
Despite being a key feature for Napoli this season, Ruiz has rejected the opportunity to sign a new contract with the club, which is set to expire in June 2023. To avoid the risk of the Spaniard leaving on a free transfer, selling him in the summer transfer window makes sense for all parties.
With Napoli reportedly only wanting £16million for the midfielder, the interest from Mikel Arteta is understandable. Due to injuries and lack of options, Martin Odegaard (normally a more advanced midfielder) has been fielded in deeper positions alongside Thomas Partey. Ruiz’s passing ability will be a welcome addition to Arsenal’s possession based system and he will add more solidity in midfield.
The Napoli midfielder has appeared 19 times in the league this season, scoring five goals and providing three assists. Napoli currently sit third in the Serie A but it seems clear from his contract situation that Ruiz could be tempted by a new challenge and the prospect of working with fellow Spaniard Arteta could be an exciting one.