Arsenal Pursuit Of Aleksandr Kokorin Takes Positive Twist

Arsenal have supposedly been long-time admirers of Russian striker Aleksandr Kokorin and they may finally be getting their man – and for a cut price too.

Sometimes, rumors come out of nowhere and they tell us that Arsenal has signed someone. Then there is the dilemma. Do we believe it or not? For the sake of me writing this, let’s consider that this rumor is a possibility.

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According to Russian ‘news’ outlet Izvestia (if you don’t speak Putin-ese or whatever they speak over there, don’t bother with the link), Arsenal has already agreed to sign Russian striker Aleksandr Kokorin for an incredibly reasonable fee of £4.3 million. Arsenal were reportedly looking to land the Russian over the summer, but nothing happened. Now that they have been reopened, however, a deal has supposedly been agreed upon.

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Kokorin is a long time Dynamo Moscow man, who aside from one rather bizarre, and brief, stay at Anzhi Makhachkala, has spent his entire career at the Russian capital. He has found decent success there. He scored 18 goals in 38 starts in his second stint with the team, adding ten assists as well. This year has started off very nicely for Kokorin, as he has netted four times in eight starts, including three goals in his last three (stats via WhoScored).

Kokorin is a striker, through and through. He has played just about every single minute that Dynamo Moscow has played this year at the striker role.  The guy fires off over three shots per game and is a master at aerial duels, winning two per game.

Internationally is where the true draw to Kokorin is. The 24 year old has a superb international record. This year alone he has netted three times in the Euro Qualifiers. He scored just once in Russia’s short 2014 World Cup outing, but that was in only three matches.

Kokorin has potential for days. His aerial ability alone gives us hope that he could carry on where Olivier Giroud leaves off. However, there are other guys out there (Arkadiusz Milik!) who could do the same. But if Kokorin is really only going to cost £4.3 million then Arsenal should definitely be going for it. I did not advocate for the signing of Mauro Icardi, but that guy was going to cost £30 million. Big difference.

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Kokorin is only under contract until the end of the year and he has yet to sign an extension. That gives us another reason to believe that Dynamo Moscow will be looking to cash in on him before he leaves for free.