Arsenal are reportedly keeping a close eye on the development of Barcelona prodigy Ilias Akhomach, amid rumours of the Spanish winger's forthcoming departure from the prestigious LaLiga outfit.
What's the latest on Akhomach to Arsenal?
According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Gunners have joined fellow Premier League outfit Leeds United in the pursuit of the 18-year-old prospect, with previous reports from the same publication stating that the Whites were firmly in the lead for his signature.
Mikel Arteta's side have, however, held an interest in the ace for some time, with the north London outfit's manager crafting a youthful team capable of competing for major silverware across multiple fronts.
With AC Milan and Sevilla also considering a bid, Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar must act swiftly if he is to secure the services of one of the most talented starlets in the game.
Who could Ilias Akhomach emulate at Arsenal?
Arsenal are flying this season, occupying the top spot in the English top-flight and indeed looking good for a gleaning of English gold at the end of the term, currently eight points ahead of holding champions Manchester City.
While the fortunes are flowing at present, the club's hierarchy will have one eye on cementing sustained success for the future, especially given that the bulk of the current success lies in the onus placed on youth.
Bukayo Saka, 22, and Gabriel Martinelli, 21, have forged a deadly and dynamic partnership on the offensive flanks, while the club's star centre-back William Saliba is only 22 years old and is playing his maiden year in English football, too.
Frankly, there's no better place to kickstart a career for an aspiring and talented phenom, and Akhomach, who has made 48 appearances for Barcelona's youth sides, as well as making three senior appearances, could well unlock his potential at the Emirates Stadium.
Hailed as a "novelty" by reporter Alfredo Martínez, Akhomach has made 11 outings for Spain's U19s, scoring three goals, and has already demonstrated his aptitude on the major stage with a starring performance for La Blaugrana last season.
As per Sofascore, Akhomach recorded an impressive 7.7 rating against Mallorca in last season's LaLiga edition, completing 88% of his passes and making three key passes, creating one big chance and also winning five of his ten ground duels – evidently a player with a "lot of talent", in the words of one ESPN correspondent.
The "wonderkid", as proclaimed by Goal, could emulate the success of the aforementioned Martinelli in north London, who Edu snagged for just £6m from homeland outfit Ituano in 2019, when the Brazilian gem was 18 years old himself.
Martinelli has been incredible this season, scoring 13 goals and providing two assists from 27 Premier League starts, creating 1.5 key passes per match and completing an assured 83% of his passes, as per Sofascore.
Perhaps more of a natural finisher than his Spanish younger, Martinelli has made the increments to his game over the years spent at the club, and Akhomach should definitely take note and craft his own fruitful fortunes at a club renowned for developing and nurturing first-rate talent into players of world-class calibre.