Arsenal keen on signing 24-year-old Belgian defender as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster squad this summer: Reports

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Maxim De Cuyper in the summer. However, they will have to face competition from other Premier League clubs for the Belgian's signature.

De Cuyper came through Club Brugge's academy and has impressed during his time with them. He's made 100 senior appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and providing 21 assists. He is known for his prowess in attack but also being defensively solid.

This combination and his performances have seen him garner interest from numerous clubs, including Arsenal, as per Fichajes.net. The Gunners are looking to solidify their backline with speculation about the future of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior.

However, West Ham United are also interested in signing De Cuyper as they look to replaced Vladimir Coufal. The Belgian will also fit well into Graham Potter's playing style. The likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also monitoring the 24-year-old.

However, given that Arsenal have been competing for titles in the last few years, they might have an edge over their London rivals. De Cuyper's contract with Club Brugge expires in 2028. As per Transfermarkt, his market value is €12 million but the club are expected to demand a higher fee considering the amount of interest in him.

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Mikel Arteta highlights importance of Arsenal's 7-1 win over PSV

The Gunners thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 at Philips Stadion in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg on Tuesday, March 4. Jurrien Timber (18'), Ethan Nwaneri (21'), and Mikel Merino (31') made it 3-0 before Noa Lang (43') scored for the hosts.

Martin Odegaard (47', 73') scored a brace in the second half while Leandro Trossard (48') and Riccardo Calafiori (85') completed the scoring. After the game, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta highlighted the importance of the win, saying (via Arsenal.com):

"Well, it obviously gives us a lot of joy, confidence and belief, and then in football, it’s not what we did three days ago, or today, it’s about what we’re going to do tomorrow, or at Old Trafford, how we behave and able to win again, and that’s it. Enjoy tonight because it was a very impressive performance, an unbelievable score, so we deserve that, and now take that, and keep improving as a team."

The Gunners will next face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, March 9 in the Premier League. The second leg of the Champions League tie against PSV will take place three days after that at the Emirates.