Arsenal will soon announce the signing of defender Omar Rekik, according to Mikel Arteta. Rekik was pictured training with the Arsenal under-23 side on Wednesday. The 19-year-old is set to join from Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin.
Rekik was first linked with a move to the Gunners last summer.
And it appears a deal, reported to be worth around £900,000, is all but done.
Arteta was asked about Rekik at his press conference on Thursday morning ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup third round clash at home to Newcastle United.
And the Spaniard said he believes the teenager has bags of potential.
“We will announce it when we possibly can. He’s a young talent we’ve been following for a while that we believe has a bright future, but we will give more details when we can,” said Arteta.
When asked if the announcement will be today, Arteta laughed and responded: “”I don’t know, very soon”.
Arsenal allowed another young defender in William Saliba to leave the club on loan earlier this week.
Saliba moved to Ligue 1 side Nice and made his debut in Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to Brest.
Arteta says the Frenchman will return in the summer and he is hopefuly he will be ready to play first-team football for the Gunners.
“He will come back for pre-season and he will be with us, and hopefully he will come back after playing a number of games and his performances raising and his development progressing in the right way,” Arteta explained.
“That is why we made that decision. I know that sometimes it is difficult to explain or understand after the money the club spent bringing him in, sending him on loan, but a lot of things have happened to him, he is a long-term player for us and we need to protect him as well.
“Giving him three or four games is not enough for him, he needs much more than that but what has happened over the past 18 months, he has gone through some personal problems as well that we have to try to help him, and stay as close as possible to him, and now he needs to play, play and play and enjoy his profession as well.
“In order for him to do that I think we have found the right club with him, he is very happy to go there right now and hopefully he can enjoy his football and be ready for us next season.”
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