Arsenal Target Joaquin Seys as Full-Back Competition Intensifies
Arsenal’s summer rebuild is edging into familiar territory. Just weeks after prising Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, the Premier League champions are weighing up another move on the Belgian side – this time for highly rated defender Joaquin Seys.
Rated at around £30 million, Seys has quickly climbed near the top of Mikel Arteta’s list as Arsenal look to add a different profile at full-back ahead of their title defence. The recruitment team have already put in the miles: extensive scouting trips, detailed reports, and, as one account puts it, a full dossier now sitting on Arteta’s desk.
Arsenal are not alone
The chase, though, is crowded.
Manchester United, still wrestling with long-standing issues at full-back, have joined the queue for the Belgian international. An initial move for Lewis Hall was knocked back by Newcastle United, who made it clear their left-back is not for sale. That rejection pushed United towards Seys, now viewed as a serious alternative.
Newcastle themselves are monitoring the situation, while Aston Villa and Portuguese giants Benfica and Porto are also in the frame. Any club hoping this would be a quiet, under-the-radar deal has already missed that window.
Seys’ reputation has surged after an impressive showing for Belgium at this summer’s World Cup, and Brugge know exactly what they have. With three years left on his current contract, the Belgian side are under no pressure to sell and can hold firm on their valuation.
Arteta waits for ‘the right player’
Arteta has been open about Arsenal’s stance. He wants quality, not volume.
“Well, that’s what we’re trying to do,” he told reporters when asked about further signings. “If we have the right player in the market to make us much better. We are very looking forward to that.”
The message is clear: Arsenal will move, but only if they are convinced Seys is the upgrade they want in a key position. The club have already acted decisively once with Brugge this summer; a second raid would underline just how much faith they have in the Belgian club’s production line.
United’s urgency, Villa’s gap, Brugge’s leverage
At Old Trafford, the need is more urgent. United are searching for a long-term solution with Luke Shaw’s fitness and availability an ongoing concern, and the club hierarchy are not expected to be put off by the £30m price tag. Their return to the Champions League has only sharpened the focus on defensive reinforcements.
Aston Villa, meanwhile, are dealing with a more immediate hole. Lucas Digne has returned to PSG, leaving Unai Emery short at left-back and forcing Villa into the market. Seys fits the profile: young, proven at international level, and available at a fee that reflects both potential and current ability.
For Brugge, the scenario is close to ideal. Multiple heavyweights circling, no contractual time pressure, and a player whose stock has never been higher. They can afford to wait, listen, and let the bidding tension grow.
Arsenal have started this window like champions, targeted and controlled. Now comes the real test: in a market this competitive, can they land another key piece before a rival does?
