Arsenal expert Charles Watts has played down the Gunners' chances of completing a deal for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman in the summer transfer window.
Reports last week claimed that Arsenal had initiated discussions with the camp of the 28-year-old, who will likely be allowed to leave the German giants when the market re-opens in a couple of months' time.
As Coman is out of contract in two years' time, he would almost certainly be a cheaper alternative to Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, but Watts expects the Frenchman to pack his bags and leave for Saudi Arabia.
"It's not for me this one," he told Sports Mole. "Arsenal seem to be linked with every Bayern Munich player who's potentially on the market. I can never say never when it comes to transfer links. It's not one that I've heard of myself. There's a few red flags there.
"I just think he goes to Saudi Arabia. He's nearly been gone there over the last 18 months or so a few times. I just don't see Arsenal investing, because it's not even like Leroy Sane, which would be a free transfer.
Watts would be "really surprised" if Arsenal sign Coman
"You're still having to put down a lot of money for a transfer fee and then the wages as well. I just don't see Arsenal doing that. They want Nico Williams. Mikel Arteta wants Nico Williams. He is the target. I'm not saying they're going to get him. And if they don't get him, because it will be a hard deal to do, they're going to have to move on to other targets.
"I just don't see Coman being at the top of that list. I would be really, really surprised. Maybe it is something that it happens, but it's not one that I looked at and read about and thought I can see that happening."
Having represented Bayern Munich since 2015 - when he joined on loan from Juventus two years before signing permanently - Coman is naturally an incredibly decorated player, winning 20 major honours during his time at the Allianz Arena.
The attacker memorably scored the winner against old club Paris Saint-Germain in the 2019-20 Champions League final and boasts a total of 70 goals and 69 assists in 331 matches for the Bavarians, including seven strikes and four helpers from 37 games this season.
The 28-year-old may not be the worst backup to Bukayo Saka, who has had some of the load taken off him by Ethan Nwaneri this season, but Coman joining would also allow Nwaneri to act as Martin Odegaard's deputy in the number 10 role.
However, Coman has also been blighted by injuries throughout his entire career, missing over 150 games for club and country since joining Bayern Munich 10 years ago, and he earns a weekly wage of £280,000 at Bayern according to Capology.
Coman deal 'does not tick any boxes' for Arsenal
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"That's a very expensive backup," Watts added. "The wages, especially considering what he's going to be being offered from Saudi Arabia, you're going to have to pay wages that are really, really high for a player who - it's tough when he's scored a Champions League winning goal - but he's not really pulled up too many trees at Bayern.
"It's just not one that sort of ticks any real boxes. Nwaneri for me is the cover for Saka. I don't think you need to worry about that for next season. I think you focus on the other side of the pitch. Potentially Trossard might go. I think you definitely need a left-winger. And let's face it, Nico Williams is the guy that they want."
Arsenal would not have to pay over the odds to sign top target Williams, whose release clause is thought to be set at just under £50m, but the Gunners would face a more intense battle to land the Spaniard than they would if they pursued Coman.
A new striker, goalkeeper and defensive midfielder are also expected to be on the agenda of sporting director Andrea Berta, who is said to be spearheading the charge for Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres in the former position.
Espanyol's £30m-rated Joan Garcia is rumoured to be Arsenal's number one goalkeeping target, and the Gunners remain confident of striking a £51m deal for Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, in spite of apparent interest from Real Madrid.
Signing that quartet of players could take Arsenal's spending up to or over the £200m mark, but Watts alleviated fears over the club's finances and talked up the prospect of a 'very aggressive' summer in the market.
Watts expects Arsenal to attack transfer market "very aggressively"
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"They've got to pay what they need to pay to make sure they're really strong," he concluded. "They've come up short this season because they didn't invest well enough over the last couple of windows and they left themselves a little bit short.
"They've just got to make sure they can't do that again because you can't rest on your laurels in the Premier League for one, two, three windows - you just get overtaken. I don't think Arsenal really got overtaken, per se, this season - they just didn't put themselves in a position to be able to cover for what happened injury wise.
"There will be some sales. Kiwior potentially, Trossard, Zinchenko, there will be some money coming in. They are in a good position PSR wise. It's not just PSR you've got to worry about though - it's also falling in line with UEFA regulations, which are actually tougher. Arsenal have to focus on that a little bit more than they have on the Premier League and PSR.
"But they're in a good position financially. This run to the Champions League semi-final, what this is going to do for the coffers is unreal. They can go big. I think it is going to be a big summer. I'd be surprised if it's not. And I think the club are certainly working very hard right now to put themselves in the best possible position to attack it very aggressively."
Arsenal will officially be out of Premier League title contention if they lose to Crystal Palace in Wednesday's London derby, but the Gunners are potentially just 270 minutes away from Champions League glory ahead of the first leg of their semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain next week.
Ben Knapton
