HERE WE GO: Arteta set to complete the signing of £20k-per-week profilic striker who will score more premier league goals than Harry Kane, personal terms already agreed as player set to Arrive as Arteta’s Hitman
Arsenal could already be looking ahead to next season, just two games into the 2023/24 campaign, with a new report linking the Gunners with a sensational transfer move next year.
Focusing on this term, Mikel Arteta has recruited strongly in the summer transfer window so far, hiring Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya to bolster his squad in the hope to better the highs of last season.
With two wins in two, things are rolling at a maximum success rate for the north Londoners, however there remains room for improvement with a few names listed as potential new arrivals.
Who could Arsenal sign this summer?
After the devastating injury to Timber just 50 minutes into his Premier League debut, the Gunners have been linked to a number of defenders, including Barcelona centre-back Jules Kounde and Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda.
While the injury to Timber is an immediate blow, another area that the Premier League runners-up were expected to bolster was their strike options, particularly when considering the absence of Gabriel Jesus and the pending departure of Folarin Balogun.
Perhaps this summer it looks unlikely that a striker will be recruited, however, a recent report by FootballTransfers has named the club as being interested in a blockbuster move for Brighton & Hove Albion forward Evan Ferguson in 2024.
The audacious report claims that the £100m Irishman is ‘on the radar’ of the north Londoners, for what is speculated to be a significant ploy to capture the teenager in the future.
What could Evan Ferguson offer to Arsenal?
Having sensationally been dubbed as a “good striker” by Kylian Mbappe prior to France’s match-up with Ireland, the 18-year-old has won the approval of those leading the way to forming the next era of generational talent.
In his breakthrough campaign last year, the robust centre-forward netted six goals and provided two assists in only 19 appearances, with only 10 of which coming from starts, via Sofascore.
The youngster has continued where he left off in the 2022/23 calendar, opening his scoring tally during the season opener against Luton Town at the Amex.
A move for the £20k-per-week teen could be deemed outrageous considering the price tag on his head, however, the matter remains that Arsenal need a reliable marksman, and they’re an extremely hard archetype to locate, whatever the level.
At just 18, Ferguson has shown that he can cut it in the top-flight already, with his talents suggesting that he could be a devastating addition to the Gunners should the report be believed.
In this instance, Arsenal should look to their north London neighbours who tortured the Reds by taking a chance on one of their young strikers, with a certain Harry Kane departing the capital as the Premier League’s second-highest all-time goalscorer.
At just 21 years of age, he enjoyed a breakthrough season at Tottenham.
Kane was given the chance to showcase what he would do, which resulted in him scoring 213 Premier League goals some nine years later.
The similarities extend further than that, though, as seemingly Spurs are also in the coveted race to sign the Irish wonderkid, reportedly viewing the teenage talent as a ‘dream’ replacement for the departed England skipper.
Further to that case, former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given specifically likened Brighton’s academy gem to the prolific marksman, as he said back in March this year:
“He’s a number nine, he can drop off into the number ten position, similar to Harry Kane with all of his brilliant positions.”
Fellow Irishman Damian Delaney also approved of this opinion, adding: “I agree with Shay – there are shades of Harry Kane about him when you watch him.”
While Arteta’s side have hugely progressed in recent years, the club have still failed to equip a reliable goalscorer to their ranks, especially not one that was close to being as prolific as Kane.
In signing Ferguson, the Spaniard could give the Irishman a dedicated role in his squad, in a chance that just could follow suit to their neighbours in producing the next upcoming marksman, which would undoubtedly fire Arsenal up the ranks within England and Europe.
