Arsenal are looking to sign a striker this summer, but so far, their pursuit has not been as straightforward as they had hoped. As a result, a new name is now being considered as an option by sporting director Andrea Berta.
In recent weeks, Arsenal have been prioritising two players in their bid to sign a new number nine: Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. Both are well-liked with Berta and head coach Mikel Arteta, but despite inroads having been made for both, a deal for either is not close to being completed.
And this has led to other players being placed on Arsenal’s radar, and one of those is now being considered for a summer pursuit.
Arsenal eyeing move for Liverpool target Hugo Ekitike
Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankurt (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
As reported by Bild, Arsenal are considering a move for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike. The 22-year-old, who scored 22 goals across all competitions last season, is an option for Berta due to the slow progress being made in deals for Sesko and Gyokeres.
At this stage, Liverpool are favourites to sign Ekitike this summer, but Arsenal could look to hijack any move if they decide that Sesko and Gyokeres are no longer worth being considered as their leading targets.
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The problem that Arsenal may face is that Ekitike is believed to be valued by Frankfurt at £85m, which would be more than they’d need to pay for Sesko or Gyokeres. In this regard, a deal is unlikely to be a priority, but it is an option if the former PSG attacker is deemed to be a better fit for Arteta.
For now, it remains to be seen how things play out with Arsenal’s striker search. Panic is not setting in yet, but there will be some frustrations at the lack of progress having been made in deals that are being worked on.
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