According to reports, one of Germany’s many young sensations that have sprung up in the recently concluded Euro-21 Championships is now seeing a bout between North London giants Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. The Gunners are reportedly the latest side to join the chase of FC Schalke’s Max Meyer as the 21-year-old openly expressed his concerns of leaving the club.
Speaking to German publication BILD, Meyer said, “Let’s see what happens. I declined the [contract] offer because I was not satisfied with my personal situation. I just saw no chance to develop. It would have been the wrong step, however, because the overall situation has changed.”
The attacking midfielder has been attracting interest from Spurs for over a year now with a deal not falling into place. And now with arch-rivals Arsenal joining the race, we expect to see more urgency in the next few weeks. Arsenal have brought in Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac this summer and one more player is widely expected to join the Gunners.
And given the holes Arsene Wenger has in his squad, a midfielder looks the probable arrival. The injury to Santi Cazorla has pretty much ended hopes of his first team place in the squad whenever he returns and Wenger is expected to find a long-term replacement for the 31-year-old. Meyer could well be that player given his disciplined displays from the midfield and beautiful dribbling abilities.
One of the prime reasons for Arsenal edging Tottenham Hotspur would be the availability of the likes of Mesut Ozil, Per Mertesacker and to some extent Kolasinac who could be a big influence in convincing the youngster. Meyer is one of Bundesliga’s more exciting talents for the past two years though his form saw a dip with Die Konigsblauen last season.
However, the Oberhausen-born was rapid to get his form back on the international level putting in some scintillating displays for Germany. His performances also got him elected to the team of the tournament. Quite interestingly, reports have valued the player at somewhere in the region of £17 million, and given the shrewd businessman Arsene Wenger is, he is bound to go for it.
While he only has 12 months left on his contract, Spurs’ pursuit of him makes it risky for Arsenal to wait. A midfielder by nature, Meyer’s speed on the ball and clever movements make him immensely versatile in the attacking third. Since breaking into the senior side of Schalke, he has scored 21 goals and provided 23 assists.
