Target man: Arsenal used Gnabry as bait in an attempt to land Ryan Sessegnon

Exclusive: Arsenal make deadline day bid for 'next Gareth Bale'

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Published on:

01 Feb 2016, 2:43 pm

By Editor Wayne Veysey| Former Evening Standard, Press Association and Goal chief correspondent with 17 years experience of breaking big stories, including exclusives like this

Follow me on Twitter @footyinsider247

Arsenal have made a deadline day bid for emerging England star Ryan Sessegnon, Football Insider sources understand.

The Fulham left-back, dubbed 'the next Gareth Bale', has been targeted by the Gunners following a series of impressive displays for age group teams.

Arsenal requested Sessegnon, 16, in part-exchange for winger Serge Gnabry going on loan to the Championship club for the rest of the season.

The Premier League giants want the England Under-16 captain on a permanent deal but Fulham have rejected the offer.

Talks between the two clubs over a deal for Germany Under-21 international Gnabry have now collapsed and are unlikely to be revived.

Sessegnon is one of the most highly-rated young players at the prolific Fulham academy, which has produced a number of outstanding young talents in recent years, including Moussa Dembele and Patrick Roberts.

Serge Gnabry is set to head out on loan again following the end of his spell at West Brom

Red alert: Gnabry is set to clinch a loan move in the final hours of the window

He is an attacking left-back who is a prolific goal creator and scorer, much like Bale was when he was coming through the ranks at Southampton.

Sessegnon, whose brother Steve is also on Fulham's books, has scored three goals in six matches for England Under-16s.

The Arsenal transfer news earlier on Monday from Arsene Wenger was that Gnabry was set to join one of two Championship clubs on loan before the window shuts.

There has also been interest in the 20-year-old from Charlton and Brighton.

Arsenal

Fulham

Serge Gnabry

Ryan Sessegnon