Atletico Madrid have reportedly submitted an offer for African teenager Baye Coulibaly, moving ahead of Arsenal in the race for his signature.
Focusing on the on-field matters, the Gunners suffered their first major bump in the road towards the Premier League title on Saturday evening, when they lost 2-0 at the home of Bournemouth.
Following a goalless first half which included a red card for centre-back William Saliba, goals from Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert sealed maximum points for the Cherries.
Losing their maiden contest of the top-flight term, Arsenal remain in third position in the Premier League table, now trailing leaders Liverpool by four points.
Before returning to domestic action on the weekend, Mikel Arteta's troops will pit their wits against Shakhtar Donetsk on gameweek three of the Champions League on Tuesday night.
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Arsenal lose ground in race for Coulibaly?
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are losing ground in the race for the signature of highly-rated youngster Couilbaly.
The report claims that Champions League-competing Atletico Madrid have tabled an initial offer for the services of the African teenager ahead of the January window.
It is understood that fellow La Lig outfits Girona and Getafe are also keen on capturing the young midfielder, who has drawn interest from various European powerhouses so far this term.
Contracted to NK Kustosija until the summer of 2027, potential suitors are not in a position to sign the midfielder for a significantly-low fee.
However, it is believed that the Croatian outfit only want £5m for Coulibaly, meaning that a deal would represent a low-risk move for Arsenal and others.
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Why are Arsenal keen on Koulibaly?
Despite impressing on the Croatian domestic scene since joining in February, Couilbaly has earned the majority of his plaudits courtesy of performances on the international stage.
The midfielder was a mainstay in the Mali team at the Under-17s World Cup over the summer, when the African nation reached the semi-finals.
Coulibaly produced a string of commendable displays, including during a third-place playoff in which Mali managed to defeat South American giants Argentina.
Carter White
