Arsenal are surprise contenders to sign Barcelona star Dani Olmo next year, according to Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri.Â
As per the Sky Sports man, Olmo’s representatives are maintaining ‘regular and positive contacts’ with those at Arsenal as well as Manchester City ahead of the January transfer window.
Barcelona have been really struggling financially for some time now and despite having signed Olmo from RB Leipzig in the summer for £52m, they have not yet been able to register him for the second half of the season.
The report adds that Olmo can leave as a free agent if he’s not re-registered by the Catalan giants due to a clause in his contract, meaning interested clubs could soon be presented with an opportunity to sign the Euro 2024 winner for free.
That said, Tavolieri thinks a deal with Arsenal might be unlikely due to the current uncertainty surround the new sporting director after Edu’s departure last month.
Dani Olmo impresses with brilliant stats
Olmo began his professional career at Barcelona’s youth academy before making a move to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb, where he flourished and gained international attention. His performances in the Croatian league and European competitions earned him a move to RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga in 2020, where he continued to impress.
While primarily an attacking midfielder, Olmo is versatile enough to play on either wing as well as a false number 9.
In his 11 La Liga appearances for Barcelona so far, Olmo has scored five goals, taking his career tally to 73 goals and 64 assists in 324 appearances across all competitions. His best statistical season came during his time at Dinamo Zagreb, where he scored 34 goals and provided 28 assists in 124 games. He maintained impressive numbers during his time at Leipzig as well, scoring 29 goals and assisting 34 in 148 appearances. (Transfermarkt)
A potential bargain for interested clubs
Should Barcelona be forced to let Olmo leave, his incredible talent and versatility would make him a significant signing for any top club. Arsenal, despite their current internal uncertainties, could be one of the first to move for the Spanish star, potentially securing a major coup on a free transfer.
As the January transfer window approaches, it will be interesting to see if Arsenal can capitalise on this opportunity and bring Olmo to the Premier League, or if the player will continue his journey at Barcelona or elsewhere.
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