Arsenal are being linked with Nice’s central midfield star Jean Michael Seri. The Ivory Coast international has a £36 million release clause, and the Gunners are reportedly ready to activate it.
Seri has been a key player for the French club since arriving at Nice in 2015. He previously had several stints in Portugal, but has truly excelled at Nice. The 26-year-old played 34 times last season for the French team. He tallied seven goals and nine assists as Nice made a surprise bid for the Ligue 1 title.
According to the England’s Metro newspaper, Arsene Wenger does not see Seri worth £36m. The Arsenal manager is hoping to negotiate a deal for less than Nice’s valuation. French media has indicated Nice want to sell Seri this summer and could lower their asking price for the midfielder. Nice’s president Jean-Pierre Rivere has stated the club will need to sell before they can buy, and Seri could be a casualty in order to raise funds.
Tottenham and Roma are also being linked to the Ivory Coast midfielder. Arsenal have missed out on Monaco’s Thomas Lemar and the Gunners are looking for more depth in midfield positions. If Nice lower their asking price, Seri could be an option for Wenger.
Jean Michael Seri 2016-17 key stats:
- 7 goals in 34 Ligue 1 matches
- 9 assists in 34 Ligue 1 matches
- 4 yellow cards in 34 Ligue 1 matches
- 1.1 tackes per match
- 2.2 key passes per match
