In a recent print edition, O Jogo mentioned that Arsenal are among clubs hoping to land Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Ibrahima Bamba. It is believed that the Gunners could face competition in the form of Paris Saint-Germain, Club Brugge and Atalanta in pursuit of the Italian talent.
Bamba’s Good Run Of Form In Liga Portugal
The 20-year-old enjoyed a decent campaign in Portuguese football as he has managed to produce a run of solid displays for his current club at the centre of the park. Bamba has participated in 18 matches for the Portuguese outfit this season, picking up six yellow cards across various competitions.
The Vercelli-born talent has anchored the midfield well for Vitoria based on his average of 2.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 4.3 clearances per 90 minutes in Liga Portugal. He has even been brilliant when distributing possession from midfield after making 85% of his attempted passes in the Portuguese top tier (stats via whoscored).
Bamba is under contract at the Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques until the summer of 2026. Hence, Arsenal will have to make a big offer if they are serious about bringing him to the English capital next year.
Is Bamba The Right Fit For Arsenal Boss Mikel Arteta?
Bamba can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life difficult for the opposition in the middle of the park. He doesn’t mind clearing his lines when the opposition are on the offensive and is a neat passer of the ball as well. Bamba is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also fill in as a central defender if asked to do so. Hence, the Italian sensation will be a good fit for Mikel Arteta’s brand of football at the North London club.
We can expect Bamba to inject more bite and steel into Arsenal‘s midfield and could go on to form a solid midfield partnership with Thomas Partey at the Emirates Stadium in the coming seasons. Still, it remains to be seen whether he can keep up his good form in England.
At 20, Bamba has got a very bright future ahead of him and could go on to become a success story at the London club if he can cope with the high intensity of Premier League football. Plus, he will be an excellent acquisition for the Gunners in the long run. Thus, it is only logical for Arteta to prioritize on getting a deal done for him next year.
