Arsenal are now believed to be the main contenders to sign a Real Madrid forward, with interim sporting director Jason Ayto and the Gunners recruitment team reportedly readying an offer for his services ahead of this summer.
Arsenal face striker conundrum before West Ham United
Yet again, manager Mikel Arteta has a real striker conundrum on his hands, as he plots how best to set up his Premier League title-chasing team in a crucial London derby.
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The Gunners are making serious advances ahead of the summer.
Kai Havertz will miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring on a training trip to Dubai, while fellow striker Gabriel Jesus is also sidelined for months following his ruptured ACL – which was sustained during Arsenal’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Man United in the FA Cup third-round.
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Arsenal’s next five Premier League games |
Date |
|---|---|
|
West Ham (home) |
February 22nd |
|
Nottingham Forest (away) |
February 26th |
|
Man Utd (away) |
March 9th |
|
Chelsea (home) |
March 16th |
|
Fulham (home) |
April 1st |
This leaves Arteta with just Raheem Sterling as his only senior striking option, and even when given the chance to shine, he hasn’t exactly fired on all cylinders since joining Arsenal on loan from Chelsea last summer.
Sterling’s lack of impact against Leicester City last weekend forced Arteta to get very creative, with the Spaniard electing to replace Chelsea’s outcast by bringing on midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre-forward.
In dramatic fashion, the 28-year-old delivered a brace in the final 10 minutes to gift Arsenal a crucial three points in a 2-0 win at the King Power Stadium, but it is currently unclear whether Arteta will utilise Merino as a striker against West Ham on Saturday.
The Gunners’ current striking dilemma highlights why Arsenal really should’ve brought in a world-class number nine in January, while they had the chance.
Arsenal made a public bid for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, but according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, their low-ball £40 million proposal fell short of NSWE’s valuation for the England international.
The list of emergency free agents available to Arsenal is barren to say the least, with the biggest name among them, Diego Costa, most recently enduring a lacklustre stint at Wolves in 2022.
Arsenal preparing £50 million bid to sign Endrick from Real Madrid
Now, Ayto and the recruitment chiefs at London Colney are looking ahead to the summer window, as they seek to ensure Arteta won’t be left so short in the attacking third ahead of another potential Premier League title challenge next season.
The usual suspects, as well as more left-field targets, are linked with moves to Arsenal on a weekly basis – but a report has since emerged that Real Madrid starlet Endrick is now on their agenda.
As per a Spanish media source, Arsenal are believed to be very keen on Endrick, and they’re apparently the top candidates to secure his signature later this year. The Brazil international has found it difficult to break into Carlo Ancelotti’s side on a regular basis, with Arteta said to be offering a way out.
It is also claimed that Ayto and co are preparing a £50 million offer for the 18-year-old, and it will be intriguing to see if they do move forward considering his reputation as one of the most promising young Brazilians in world football.
