According to reports, Arsenal are interested in signing Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri. The Gunners reportedly see the 24-year-old as an “ideal replacement” to club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to Spanish news outlet La Colina de Nervion (via The Sun).

The Gabon international’s form since signing a lucrative three-year deal at the Emirates Stadium last September has been underwhelming, to say the least. The former Borussia Dortmund man is also on the wrong side of his 30s and that is something that does not fit with Mikel Arteta’s plan of building up a young team.

Like Aubameyang, Arsenal have another striker in Alexander Lacazette who’s in his 30s, but with only a year left on his current deal, the situation is less complicated. Moreover, the Gunners have set a price tag of €15m on the French striker and are willing to offload the player in January if an offer comes in.

Énorme, Rapide, Inarrêtable ! 🔝🔥⚽

🇲🇦@ennesyri9 🇲🇦#LaLigaSantander #YouHaveToLiveIt pic.twitter.com/7oppbv54V0

— LALIGA (@LaLigaFRA) January 28, 2021

Manager Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu also don’t see Eddie Nketiah as someone who can spearhead the attack. And despite Folarin Balogun extending his stay at the red half of London, the first two matches of the Premier League showed that the young forward isn’t yet ready for the step-up.

That makes pursuing a striker a rational decision and all the more important. Arsenal have been linked to several names in the past and would have certainly pursued their targets, had Lacazette and Nketiah departed the Emirates. Failure to move them on handicapped the Gunners’ plan of putting an additional body in the striking position.

Arsenal have been previously linked with Tammy Abraham, Andre Silva, Alexander Isak, but they now seem to have settled on Youssef En-Nesyri. The Moroccan international has played out his entire club career in LaLiga, appearing for Malaga CF, CD Leganes, and Sevilla.

En-Neysri won’t come cheap

💶 Top five African estimated transfer values

🥇 €93.5m Achraf Hakimi 🇲🇦
🥈 €75.6m Mohamed Salah 🇪🇬
🥉 €64.5m Sadio Mané 🇸🇳
4️⃣ €56.2m Edmond Tapsoba 🇧🇫
5️⃣ €55.9m Youssef En Neysri 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/IvOPXgwDBA

— African Index (@africanindex_) June 8, 2021

He has scored a total of 42 goals in 146 appearances in the Spanish league, out of which 32 have come for his current club Sevilla.

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Premier League club West Ham United were keen to add the young striker to their ranks in the previous winter window. However, their bid of £27 million was swiftly rejected by the La Liga side. Thus, it’s clear that the Gunners would have to stump up at least £30 million for Sevilla to even listen to the offer.

Youssef En-Neysri was not short of offers this summer, but he had no intention to move on from Sevilla, a club and city he apparently loves. Regardless, the situation might change in January or the following summer transfer window and if it does, Arsenal would be waiting, ready to pounce.

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