Arsenal Told To Pay £14m For Chelsea Target, Mourinho Keen On The Player
Arsenal and Chelsea are scheduled to contest the Community Shield final next month. However , the hated rivals are currently having a mini battle of sorts off the pitch with both going head-to-head for the signature of highly rated Ghanaian left full back Abdul Baba Rahman. The 21-year-old Augsburg left back had a breakout campaign last term, where he went on to develop into one of the best full backs in the league.
His strong performances helped Augsburg record their best ever standing in the league at fifth and achieve Europa League football next season. With a rate of 4.8 tackles per game , the youngster is equipped to deal with the physicality of the Premier League and with 11 national caps under his belt,he has the experience of playing on the biggest stages.
Rahman only moved to Augsburg last summer from SpVgg Greuther Fürth and has enjoyed such a rapid rise to prominence that within 12 months he has attracted the interest of several top European clubs. The Guardian are claiming that Augsburg have slapped a hefty price tag of £14 million on the coveted defender amid reported interest from Arsenal and Chelsea. Juventus , Atletico Madrid and Roma have also registered their interest with Augsburg , but it is believed that the youngster will prefer a switch to a Premier League side .
However , investing such a large amount on a player relatively untested on the biggest stages and with just one full season at a high level under his belt might be considered a risk. There is undoubtedly huge potential there, and if tapped correctly, he can solve ether club’s left full back problems seemingly for the next decade.
While Chelsea are in the market for a replacement for Filipe Luis , who failed to convince since arriving from Atletico last year, and is most possibly on his way back, Arsenal’s interest is tantalizing for the simple fact that the Gunners already have two established left backs in Kieran Gibbs and Nacho Monreal. While Rahman Baba will undoubtedly be a back up option until he finds his feet on these shores, any prospective purchase is likely to spell the end of the road for the Spaniard at Arsenal , who has attracted interest from several clubs in his homeland.
Whoever wins this mini battle will go into the curtain raiser that is the Community Shield with renewed hope and a psychological victory over their rivals. Both sets of supporters will definitely be excited at the prospect of the youngster fighting it out for regular football at their respective clubs. For the player, the decision is likely to shape his career further and many will be hoping that wherever he ends up, he goes on to fulfill the immense talent that he possesses.