Wenger’s clearly done his homework!
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly lining up another raid on the lower leagues in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Gunners are said to be preparing to bid around £2million for Ipswich Town wonderkid Tristan Nydam, according to the Sun.
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Still only 17, Nydam has established himself in the Ipswich first-team this season, making nine appearances in all competitions – and he also looks a gem worth snapping up in the latest edition of Football Manager.
The teenage midfielder looks a player with real potential, already boasting a ’13’ rating for technique, and ’12’ for passing and first touch.
FM lists Nydam as being able to play a number of roles in central midfield or on the left, and value him at around £225k, though it’s clear he’s bound to cost a great deal more than that.
Still, Arsenal have a decent record of scouring the lower leagues for talent, with Rob Holding the most recent example and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also making the step up to Premier League level when he joined from League One Southampton back in 2011.
While some Gooners will be eager for Wenger to look at bringing in some bigger names after a slightly slow start to the season, Nydam looks an exciting prospect for the future.
And in fairness to Wenger, he has a strong track record of identifying top youngsters and promoting them to his senior side.
This season alone has seen youth stars such as Reiss Nelson, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Eddie Nketiah fast-tracked into the Gunners’ first-team.