Arsenal target French starlet
Montpellier chairman Laurent Nicollin has revealed that Arsenal are on the trail of their striker Habib Bamogo, who also has attracted interest from Middlesbrough and Barcelona.
The France Under-21 international is one of the latest graduates of the famed Clairefontaine youth academy to come to prominence after a brilliant season with Montpellier.
Middlesbrough looked at Bamogo in January, but now Arsenal and Barcelona are considering making a swoop after watching him in action, according to skysports.com.
He has scored 12 goals in 29 starts for Montpellier and is now considered one of the hottest properties in Le Championnat.
Montpellier chief Nicollin has now admitted that both Arsene Wenger and Frank Rijkaard are keen on the 21-year-old.
"Arsenal is following Bamogo," said Nicollin. "Wenger likes the player.
"The Gunners have seen him several times. Like Barca, whose coach Rijkaard couldn't resist Habib. I don't lie.
"I won't name the other great European clubs that are attracted to him.
"Habib is under contract with us until June 2006 and I can assure you he won't leave for nothing.
"The club which really wants to sign him will have to pay €6 million. But we can always negotiate. Barca and Arsenal have not proposed anything yet."
Nicollin stated earlier this season that the starlet may need to be sold due to Montpellier's poor financial position.
The player himself looks set to disappoint his foreign admirers by stating he would prefer to stay in France.
"I would like to sign for a very good French club," he said.
"A foreign country is a little too early for me.
"I love Paris, it is the club close to my heart.
"When I was a kid, I went regularly to Parc des Princes. I would be delighted to play for [PSG coach Vahid] Halilhodzic's team."
