Arsenal have been linked to Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor, alongside several Premier League clubs who are said to have been keeping tabs on the 22-year-old since the start of the season.
Taylor plays in a defensive midfield role for the Eredivisie club and has so far made 11 appearances with two goals in the league this season, becoming a mainstay in Francesco Farioli’s starting XI at the Johan Cruyff Arena. The Gunners are reportedly one of three Premier League teams who are keen on signing the midfielder.
According to CaughtOffside, Taylor is currently being scouted by Arsenal, Aston Villa and Newcastle United alongside Serie A side Napoli as he has become a player in demand this season.
The report suggests that Ajax aren’t keen on selling the Dutchman, however, a fee of around £29m could be enough to tempt the club into letting the Netherlands international leave for one of the interested clubs.
Taylor came through the ranks at Ajax where he has made a total of 93 league appearances, scoring 16 goals – an eye-catching number for a midfielder that plays more of a defensive role. He made his international debut in 2022 and so far has four caps for the Netherlands.
Taylor could help with Arsenal’s lack of depth in midfield
One of the biggest issues that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has faced so far this season is lack of options in midfield, especially when his key players have been dealing with injury problems. Captain Martin Odegaard was injured for over two months and the Gunners struggled partly due to the fact they didn’t have many options to cover for the Norway international.
They have slipped down nine points behind Liverpool, who they drew 2-2 with just two weeks ago. However, as the Gunners haven’t won a Premier League match in their last four attempts, adding depth and quality in midfield could be the ideal solution to help recover their title challenge in the second half of the season.
Taylor would be an attractive option to play alongside Declan Rice in midfield or replace the England international who is currently injured with what could be a broken toe. He had to pull out of Lee Carsley’s England squad alongside winger Bukayo Saka. Arteta could face more issues with depth in midfield if he doesn’t address it in the January transfer window.
