According to The Sun, Arsenal are shortlisting strikers for the upcoming transfer window and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins are on top of Arteta’s list of possible signings.
The Gunners have spent around £150M in the summer transfer window this year, the highest in Premier League. Despite this, they are already on the hunt for a new striker to replace the outgoing Alexandre Lacazette. Arsenal have the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Folarin Balogun, and Eddie Nketiah in their squad, but they want a prolific centre-forward who has played against top-flight teams and can handle pressure.
The Frenchman has only a year remaining in his £180,000-a-week contract at Arsenal, and so far, he hasn’t been offered a new deal by the club. He seems to have fallen down the pecking order under Arteta, spending the majority of the 21/22 Premier League campaign on the bench.
However, the Gunners want to cash in on him in the January transfer window rather than losing him for free next summer and have set a price tag of €15m on the 30-year-old forward. Arteta has alerted technical director Edu of his desire to bring in some young blood into his ranks, someone with Premier League experience under his belt to replace Lacazette.
Calvert-Lewin (24) and Ollie Watkins (25) would fit into Arteta’s system perfectly as both are young and have great PL experience under their belt. However, securing the services of either will be quite difficult for the North London outfit. (https://emdrprofessionaltraining.com)
📰🗣️ Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins are on Arsenal's list as they prepare for the departure of Alexandre Lacazette.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 5, 2021
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Calvert-Lewin played as Harry Kane’s backup for England over the past year, so taking him from Everton’s clutches won’t be an easy task. Last year, the 24-year-old forward signed a long-term contract at Goodison Park till 2025, which puts his valuation somewhere north of £50M.
He bagged 16 goals in 33 Premier League games last season for the Toffees and already has 3 goals in 3 matches to his name in the current season. However, he suffered a quadriceps injury against Brighton on August 28 and has been out of action ever since.
Despite his injury, signing the Everton striker would make sense in the larger picture, given the kind of service Tierney and Tomiyasu provide from the flanks. His aerial threat and ‘fox in the box’ attributes are some of his prolific abilities and therefore is deemed as one of the best young prospects in the PL.
Ollie Watkins (25) is another potential replacement Arteta is keeping an eye on. He bagged 14 goals and 5 assists for Aston Villa last season. His excellent heading abilities has grabbed the attention of some top Premier League clubs in English football. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t come for cheap due to the English market.
Read More:
- Arsenal Have Earmarked £31.5m Rated Lille Striker as Lacazette’s Replacement
- Blinkered Arsenal Fans Could Hinder Progress for Young Gunners
- Arsenal Transfer Rumours Roundup Related to Newcastle United, Chamberlain, Martinelli, Lacazette and More
Manager Mikel Arteta wants to be ready before the departure of Lacazette. He would be hoping that whichever player he signs, would get the ground up and running in no time. The fight for a Champions League spot is extremely tight, with all top clubs giving their very best and going hard in the transfer windows.
So far, along with technical director Edu Gaspar, the Spanish boss seems to have made the perfect concoction by recruiting young, energetic, and prolific players, who align with their rebuild. Only time will tell if Stan Kroenke will provide the necessary cash injections to buy Calvert-Lewin or Watkins.
Stay tuned to AD for the latest Arsenal transfer news.
