According to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal have positioned themselves in the chase to sign Real Madrid attacker Lucas Vazquez. The Spanish international is one of many players tipped to leave the club following Los Blancos’ spending spree, and it is believed that Unai Emery is keen to secure his services this summer. However, the Gunners could face stiff competition from Inter Milan.
Lucas Vazquez mixed spell at Real Madrid
Vazquez arrived at Real Madrid back in 2015 in a €1 million move from RCD Espanyol. He originally joined the club as a back-up for Gareth Bale. But, the Welshman’s struggles with injuries saw him rack up more minutes than it was initially expected.
The Spaniard has already notched up 183 appearances for Real Madrid across all competition during his ongoing four-year spell with the first team. He made 31 appearances in the recently concluded La Liga campaign, but only 15 of them were starts.
And with Los Blancos already roping in the likes of Eden Hazard and Rodrygo coupled with the emergence of Vinicius Junior, Vazquez could find it challenging to get regular playing time next season.
What can Vazquez bring to the table?
A product of the Real Madrid youth academy, Vazquez is generally known for his pace and versatility. Indeed, the 27-year-old can feature in the right-flank while his electric speed allows him to cover ground quickly enabling him to recover his defensive positioning when playing as a wing-back.
Vazquez’s defensive work-rate made him an invaluable asset to Zinedine Zidane’s incredible three-year spell at the club. But aside from that, he is good at hold up play while the Spaniard can also whip in crosses into the box – making him an ideal fit for the Premier League.
Should Arsenal make a move for Vazquez?
The report claims that Emery wants to employ Vazquez as a runner in his 3-5-2 formation. That means he is likely to replace Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the right wing-back slot, where he will look to provide depth as well as make runs in behind the defence.
His crossing prowess, coupled with his impressive technical qualities, could make Arsenal much more dynamic in the final third. And the fact that the Spanish international can also feature as a winger will provide Emery with additional options in the final third.
Furthermore, Vazquez has a vast amount of experience and having played international football for Spain; he is unlikely to take much time in settling into life in the Premier League. Besides, the 27-year-old can bring that winning mentality to the team – making him an ideal target for the Gunners.
