Arsenal did not pursue a deadline-day deal for Malick Fofana after Mikel Arteta raised concerns about the Lyon winger, according to reports.
The Belgium international emerged as a target late in the window as Arsenal considered strengthening their forward line following a number of high-profile snubs.
Deals for Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior failed to materialise, with Christos Tzolis the only arrival to replace Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.
The Gunners had been holding out hope of a late deal for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, but the Argentine indicated he wasn’t keen on a Premier League return.
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However, Arsenal almost sprang into action on deadline day after they were offered the chance to sign Fofana as Lyon looked to raise funds after missing out on the Champions League.
The 21-year-old has previously attracted interest from Liverpool and Chelsea, and was available for around £30million, a similar fee to that which Arsenal paid to bring Tzolis to the Emirates earlier in the summer.
However, The Athletic reports that Arsenal were only willing to pursue a loan deal to avoid the possibility of breaching UEFA’s spending limits.
It is also said that Arteta spoke with Fofana, but held concerns about the winger’s ability to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League.
Despite Arsenal’s decision, Fofana did ultimately end up in the English top-flight after a remarkable transfer tussle between Sunderland and Crystal Palace.
The Black Cats struck a deal first for the winger before Palace looked to hijack the transfer after agreeing a similar deal with Lyon.
Ultimately, Sunderland rescued their deal by offering more commission to the Belgian’s agents, with a five-year deal agreed for the pacey winger.
‘Malick has all the attributes to thrive in the Premier League,’ Sunderland’s Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi said.
‘He is a player with huge potential and Sunderland AFC will provide him with the right environment to continue to develop and prosper.
‘He operates off the left and will complement the versatility of the other wide men we have at the club, who can play across both flanks.
‘We are delighted to welcome Malick to the Club and look forward to supporting him as he takes the next steps in his career.’
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