Arsenal are working hard on bringing in at least one, but preferably two high-quality strikers this summer. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, their primary target remains Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus, but they’ve also held talks with the representatives of Victor Osimhen from Napoli, reports Charles Watts for Goal.com.
For Arsenal, there’s no hiding from the fact that their need for attacking reinforcements this summer is desperate. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is long gone. Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah will soon be gone as well with their contracts expiring at the end of June, leaving 20-year-old Folarin Balogun as the most senior centre-forward at the club.
Manchester City have apparently set the price of £50 million for Jesus. Arsenal consider that amount a bit too steep given that the Brazilian has 12 months left on his contract, and they’re hoping that the said figure represents an opening stance in a negotiation process.
The 25-year-old Brazil international craves regular game-time, something he hasn’t been getting under Pep Guardiola, and his situation in that aspect is only likely to get worse with the arrival of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund now imminent.
Meanwhile, the price for Osimhen is likely to be far more than that. Napoli paid €75m (£68m) to sign him from Lille in 2020, and president Aurelio Di Laurentiis, known as a man very difficult to deal with, will probably want more than that now for the 23-year-old Nigerian. After all, Osimhen has three years left on his contract with the Serie A side.
Nonetheless, Osimhen’s representatives have already made the trip to England to discuss their proposal, before an offer is made to Napoli. Both Osimhen and Jesus are believed to be open to the idea of joining Arsenal despite the Gunners failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
