Premier League club Arsenal has reportedly joined the race along with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in order to sign Geoffrey Kondogbia from Valencia. Kondobia is currently on loan at La Liga club Valencia from Serie A side Internazionale after joining the Spanish outfit in the summer.
Inter Milan are now at risk of losing their high-quality midfielder as Valencia have the chance to make the move permanent by paying €25m as fees to Inter. However, Valencia is not the only club that is interested in making a permanent move for the Frenchman as Arsenal have recently tagged along with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the strong midfielder.
Liverpool is probably going to lose Emre Can in this summer transfer window and manager Jurgen Klopp has highlighted the importance of a strong defensive midfielder to protect his back-line.
Since the Merseyside club is keen on reassuring their defense, Kondogbia could be the perfect man to fit in at the back. He is a strong defensive midfielder who is also capable of playing in the centre-back position.
The Reds recently broke the bank to sign Virgil Van Dijk for a record fee from Southampton in the January transfer window and the two could build a solid partnership at the heart of Liverpool’s defense.
Mauricio Pochettino has been unable to negotiate a new deal with central defender Toby Alderweireld and the Belgian is likely to join Barcelona if an offer does come in the summer. With new arrival Davinson Sanchez not yet up to the mark for Spurs, Kongogbia seems like an ideal man to fit in with Jan Vertonghen to stabilize the north London side.
This deal could maybe see Spurs move on to the next level with an opportunity for them to win trophies in the coming few seasons.
Finally, the most recent admirers for Kondogbia, Arsenal have identified the 25-year-old to be the successor at the Emirates to the aging duo of Frenchman Laurent Koscielny and German star Per Mertesacker.
The Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has not been impressed with his defense as they have conceded shambolic goals throughout the campaign. Recent events have stressed out the importance of luring in a top-quality defender to keep opposing teams at bay. He could also be used in the base of the midfield replacing Granit Xhaka who still seems like he hasn’t adapted to the Premier League.
Although Valencia is adamant to let go of their superstar, it may be Inter who would want to profit further from selling Kondogbia at a higher price. Kondogbia began his career at French club Lens and then joined Sevilla at the end of his teen years.
AS Monaco brought him for a fee of €20m back in 2013 and he then moved to Inter Milan for €31m in 2015. Therefore with Kondogbia priced at €25m, he could be a bargain in this market. His stellar performances for Valencia this term have helped them to 4th in the league table, in contention for a Champions League spot next year.