Arsenal have been tracking Moussa Diaby 'for a long time' and they now 'know him very well' ahead of attempting to lure the Bayer Leverkusen star to the Emirates Stadium, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has told GiveMeSport.

Having missed out on the acquisition of Mykhailo Mudryk, after Chelsea completed an £88.5million deal, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta remains in the market for reinforcements.

GiveMeSport Transfer Update

Arsenal transfer news - Moussa Diaby

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have made initial contact with Leverkusen after setting their sights on signing Diaby ahead of the fast-approaching January deadline.

But the report suggests it may be difficult for the Gunners to reach an agreement as the Frenchman's current employers do not want to sanction his mid-season departure.

Arsenal are long-term suitors of Diaby, with Arteta and sporting director Edu being admirers, while he has also been identified as a dream signing by Newcastle United.

Leverkusen are attempting to stave off interest in the 23-year-old by insisting it would take more than £65million, along with significant bonus payments, to strike a deal this month.

Bild journalist Christian Falk recently told GiveMeSport that Diaby could be the perfect alternative to Mudryk for Arsenal.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Diaby?

Romano understands that Arsenal have been monitoring Diaby for an extensive period and, as a result, they are fully aware of his capabilities.

However, the respected journalist has warned that the north Londoners may be frustrated in their attempts to land the former Paris Saint-Germain man and hinted a summer deal could be more likely.

Romano told GiveMeSport: "Moussa Diaby is a player that Arsenal have been following for a long time and they know him very well.

"They're convinced of his potential but, at the same time, Bayer Leverkusen have no intention to sell the player in January unless they receive a really important bid."

Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know

Would Diaby be a good signing for Arsenal?

According to FBref, Diaby headed into the weekend having averaged more goals and shots on target per 90 minutes than current Arsenal wide-men Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli this season.

That emphasises how prolific the £49,000-per-week star is and leaves little doubt that he could provide Arteta with a selection headache if he manages to get a deal over the line.

Prior to a meeting with Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday, Diaby had got his name on the scoresheet 43 times and registered a further 41 assists in 146 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, while he had also found the back of the net four times in his last three Bundesliga outings.

Sofascore statistics show the France international has created 10 big chances in the German top flight this season, while he has also averaged a goal every 210 minutes.

With that being the case, Arsenal should pounce as they look to improve their Premier League title chances.

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