Arsenal are now battling Newcastle United for an “amazing” Premier League forward who has been in exceptional form this season, according to a report.
Arteta set to pursue forward in the summer
The Gunners were one of the only Premier League sides not to do any business during the winter transfer window, despite calls to sign a new striker, although it wasn’t for the lack of trying.
The north Londoners made a last-gasp enquiry over the availability of Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, while they also considered a late approach for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
The 5-1 victory over Manchester City perhaps indicates that a top striker is not an absolute requirement for a side with Premier League title aspirations, however, and Mikel Arteta has opted to wait until the summer before making any new additions.
Benjamin Sesko and Jonathan David remain on the list of targets for the end of the season, with the latter player set to be available on a free transfer upon the end of his contract.
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According to a report from The Sun, Arsenal now have a new target in mind, as they are set to rival Newcastle for the signature of AFC Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert, who has been in phenomenal form in front of goal this season.
The Gunners and Magpies have been monitoring Kluivert, and they are likely to have been impressed with what they’ve seen, especially in a dominant performance on Tyneisde just last month which was good enough to cause Joelinton to lash out at the Dutch forward.
Bournemouth will no doubt be desperate to keep hold of the forward, given that he has played a huge role in their unexpected push for Europe.
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Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|
Leicester City (a) |
February 15th |
|
West Ham United (h) |
February 22nd |
|
Nottingham Forest (a) |
February 26th |
|
Manchester United (a) |
March 9th |
|
Chelsea (h) |
March 16th |
Stand-out season for Kluivert
The 25-year-old has already gained a plethora of experience across Europe, playing in all five of the continent’s ‘top’ leagues, but the ongoing campaign is a real stand-out in terms of attacking contributions.
The Dutchman’s tally of 11 league goals is a personal record, last reaching double figures with Ajax back in the 2017-18 season, and he has received praise for his performances from manager Andoni Iraola, who described him as “amazing” last month.
It is no wonder the Magpies are in the race for the £80k-per-week Bournemouth star, given the statement he made by bagging a hat-trick in a 4-1 victory at St. James’ Park in January.
Kluivert’s performances attracting the attention of Arsenal comes as no surprise, but their interest appears to be tentative at this stage, and another player remains at the top of their shortlist in attacking midfield.
Athletic Club’s Nico Williams is believed to be Arteta’s priority target, and the Gunners are now ready to smash the €58m (£48m) release clause in the Spaniard’s contract to get a deal done.
