L’Equipe report that Arsenal had a scout in attendance at Montpellier took on Stade de Reims on the final day of the Ligue 1 season.
The Gunners reportedly remain a possibility for Montpellier forward Elye Wahi, who scored twice in the fixture to give his side a final-day win.
It’s worth mentioning that Arsenal scouts had another motive to watch the game, with Folarin Balogun playing and scoring for the opposition.
As it stands, Balogun is set to leave the club this summer, but Arsenal will want to ensure they make the right decision on a potential sale.
If Balogun does go, a move for Wahi seemingly becomes more likely, so it’s no wonder scouts were in attendance for the match.
FootMercato recently reported that Arsenal and AS Monaco have taken the lead in the race to sign Wahi this summer, with the striker very likely to leave Montpellier.
Arsenal have reportedly been following and scouting Wahi for many months, and they’re set to make their first offer for a transfer.
Though the exact value of that bid isn’t known, it’s believed to be below the €30-35m that Montpellier want.
Monaco remain keen despite the high price, and they could reportedly make the argument that Wahi needs a stepping-stone club before moving to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old has 19 goals and six assists in 33 games for Montpellier this season, as well as scoring once in his three cameo appearances for the France u21s (totalling just 76 minutes on the pitch).
Yet it would be somewhat surprising to see Arsenal bid for Wahi, as recent reports have suggested the Gunners are unlikely to pursue a centre-forward this summer.
Whilst there’s clearly a lot of interest in strengthening the midfield, as well as adding a versatile defender, and possibly a winger to provide cover for Bukayo Saka, David Ornstein recently told FIVE that he hasn’t heard anything about a striker search.
Ornstein mentioned Eddie Nketiah’s new contract as one reason why Arsenal might not be looking for a striker this summer, even if Folarin Balogun leaves, and that’s certainly true.
The Gunners made two significant commitments to the centre-forward position by signing Gabriel Jesus and extending Nketiah’s deal in 2022, less than a year ago.
There’s also Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, who played the position in Jesus and Nketiah’s absence to good effect.
