Arsenal join Chelsea in race to sign French midfielder

Premier League leaders Arsenal will hope to return to winning ways on the road when they travel to face Everton on Saturday. 

The Gunners were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in their last away Premier League game, and their advantage at the top of the standings is now just two points.

Mikel Arteta will be desperate to see his side return from Merseyside with all three points, although the Toffees have impressed this term and will likely provide a stern test.

In the meantime, it appears that the league leaders are in the race to sign a highly rated Frenchman.

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal have joined London rivals Chelsea in showing interest in Lille star Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The 18-year-old is fast building a reputation as one of the most talented young midfielders in Europe, but his performances haven’t gone unnoticed.

Bouaddi is on the radar of both Chelsea and Arsenal (Photo: Orange Pics BV/Alamy)

The teenager is a product of Lille’s youth academy and has already played more than 70 times for the French side at senior level.

So far this season the midfielder has made 19 appearances for Lille, including 14 Ligue 1 matches.

It is claimed that Arsenal are keen to add another midfielder to Arteta’s squad, with Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice both having to play extremely regularly at present.

Bouabbi has been identified as an ideal candidate to bolster the Gunners’ ranks in midfield, with the report suggesting that he is top of their list of targets.

The Frenchman – who represents his country at Under-21 level – is under contract in Lille until the end of the 2028/29 campaign, and it is currently unclear whether or not the Gunners will consider making a move to sign the player in January.