Arsenal are interested in the transfer of Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma, who talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino likenes to Manchester United icon Ryan Giggs.
Cascarino believes Mitoma is now playing at such a high level that he resembles Giggs in the winger’s prime. The Welshman bowed out as Manchester United’s most-decorated player of all time in May 2014. He called time at the age of 40 with 34 trophies from a 24-year career.
Mitoma has won three trophies through the 26-year-old’s career so far after firing Kawasaki Frontale to multiple honours in Japan. He left the J-League side for Brighton in 2021 for only £2.5m. But the attacker only made his Seagulls debut in August 2022 after a stint in Belgium.
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Arsenal are interested in Mitoma’s transfer from Brighton
Graham Potter made Mitoma wait for his big break at Brighton. But the 17-cap gem showed what he could have offered the tactician when Roberto De Zerbi started him against Potter’s Chelsea in October. Mitoma assisted Leandro Trossard as the Seagulls beat the Blues 4-1.
Mitoma ended the 2022/23 season with 10 goals and eight assists across 41 appearances in all competitions. It has not taken him long to get going this term, either, having scored once and assisted two goals during two games. He helped Brighton beat Luton Town and Wolves.
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Now, Arsenal retain an interest in Mitoma’s transfer from Brighton, according to talkSPORT. But the Seagulls are now confident of fending off the Gunners and Bayern Munich. Mitoma, who Glenn Murray called a ‘special player’ last Saturday, is close to agreeing a new contract.
Mitoma amazed Murray at Molineux with his waltzing run to break the deadlock at Wolves. He burst past Nelson Semedo and shrugged off multiple challenges to drive into the box. He then kept his composure to find the far corner of Jose Sa’s net whilst under vigorous duress.
Cascarino likens Mitoma to Giggs after wreaking havoc at Wolves
Wolves had no way of stopping Mitoma charging through several challenges to score his first Premier League goal this term. While the winger wreaking havoc at Molineux also convinced Cascarino to compare the 5 ft 10 talent with Giggs at the Manchester United legend’s peak.
“Mitoma is on another level,” Cascarino told talkSPORT amid Arsenal showing interest in the Brighton star’s potential transfer. “It is like watching Ryan Giggs at his very best. He is direct.
“I was lucky and very fortunate, Ryan Giggs at the start of his career, I was watching him and playing against him. He was frightening, Ryan Giggs. He would just run at you when he was a winger. Obviously, he changed his game. But Mitoma just goes at people for fun.”