Arsenal will be in the market for a winger this summer, with the likes of Leroy Sane, Nico Williams and Rodrygo the three most prominently linked players.
Mikel Arteta is eager to bolster his wide forward options after both Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli produced below-par campaigns.
Williams is understood to be Arteta’s preferred signing, while Sane has emerged as a potential market opportunity in recent days, after failing to agree a new contract with Bayern Munich.
Rodrygo is perhaps the most attractive candidate, although the Brazilian may ultimately remain at Real Madrid after new boss Xabi Alonso expressed his admiration for him earlier this week.
It seems as though the definitive first-choice target has not yet been decided by Andrea Berta, who is exploring multiple different options before making his move.
Arsenal target Ademola Lookman is wanted by nine other clubs
Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman is another player on Arsenal’s radar, and Arteta is said to be a huge admirer of the Europa League winner.
The Nigerian enjoyed a spectacular campaign for the Bergamo side, netting 20 goals and providing six assists across all competitions.
Unsurprisingly, this form has sparked interest from a whole host of clubs throughout Europe.
According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Juventus, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli, and Barcelona have all expressed interest in signing Lookman.
The former Leicester City man’s exceptional output in the final third, and ability to play across the front line, has attracted him to several teams looking for a versatile and dynamic forward.
Atalanta are understood to be asking for a fee in the region of €60 million (£50 million) for their talismanic figure, and won’t sanction his departure unless one of these potential suitors is willing to stump up this sum.
Arsenal should move on from Ademola Lookman
Lookman has been described as ‘unbelievable’, but Arsenal should steer clear.
It’s vital that Arsenal have their squad in place before pre-season commences, so that Arteta has ample time to work with his players ahead of the new campaign.
Thus, business needs to be conducted early on, and the Gunners can’t be drawn into a protracted transfer saga with several clubs over one player.
If more than one of these aforementioned suitors is adamant that Lookman is their man, and Arsenal also aggressively pursue him, then the North Londoners could find themselves embroiled in a bidding war and ultimately end up overpaying for the 27-year-old.
Instead, Berta should swiftly divert his plan to other targets, and focus on more attainable players who don’t carry the same level of interest.
Rodrygo is more likely to have a narrower market of clubs after him, as are the likes of Williams and Sane.
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