Arsenal are set to face French side RC Lens in the Champions League tonight, in a first away game in the competition since February 2017.
This is unknown territory for players in both teams, with Lens enjoying their return to the competition after a 20-year absence.
Lens finished just one point behind French Champions Paris Saint-Germain last season, and used their increased revenue to splash the cash in the transfer market this summer, which included the signing of a player Arsenal were interested in.
Arsenal will face Elye Wahi
Lens completed the £30m signing of Elye Wahi in the transfer window. The Montpelier forward was linked with Arsenal earlier in the window, as well as West Ham and Chelsea, before Lens snapped him up.
The 20-year-old striker scored 19 league goals in 33 games last season, and scored his first goal for Lens at the weekend in his sixth appearance since joining.
Arsenal were interested when Gabriel Jesus picked up an injury during pre-season, but nothing appeared to materialise in the form of an official offer.
Wahi is set to lead the line for the hosts tonight, and he may be eager to show why Arsenal should have splashed out on him.
How serious was Arsenal’s interest in Wahi?
Arsenal did not end up signing a striker in the summer window, with Kai Havertz arriving as an option in midfield and attack.
It has been rumoured that Mikel Arteta is eyeing up a move for Ivan Toney in January, perhaps indicating that he wants a proven physical goalscorer in his side.
This however, does not mean that Arsenal missed out on Wahi, or that their interest was set to become serious. At 20, Wahi is younger and far less proven than Jesus, Eddie Nketiah or Toney, and given the finances involved in the deal, it seemed unlikely that he would be considered in the same summer where young striker Folarin Balogun was sold to Monaco.
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