Arsenal interest in Tammy Abraham transfer reliant on key factor

With less than a month to go until the 2021/22 Premier League season kicks off when Arsenal facing Brentford, the lack of transfer activity is beginning to spark concern. Why, then, would Tammy Abraham be next up on the list of targets?

Prior to the window opening few would have pinpointed central defence to be an area in need of tending to. David Luiz departed and William Saliba was due to take over the reins. It has not transpired that way and Arsenal look set to make their biggest outlay of the summer on Ben White.

Thus, talk of a new centre-forward, while absolutely not a priority this window, may not even be so alarming.

However, centre-back was more important than striker. Arsenal have a No. 9 who is world class on his day and set to be fit and firing playing through the middle next season with, in many ways, a new addition in Folarin Balogun waiting in the wings.

Arsenal interest in Tammy Abraham transfer reliant on key factor as Mikel Arteta eyes Chelsea centre-forward as target in summer window

But then there is Tammy Abraham.

The Telegraph are reporting that Arsenal are interested in the Chelsea striker, who is certain to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

The Blues’ pursuit of Erling Haaland has seen Abraham offered to Borussia Dortmund in part exchange, a deal the German outfit do not favour. Equally, Inter and Tottenham have been offered the possibility of signing the 23-year-old, who is attracting admiring glances from the Premier League and afar.

Hoping to bring in a new big-money striker this window, Chelsea are seeking a permanent sale, one they value at around £40m. With 30 goals in 82 appearances for the west Londoners, Abraham has topped scored in both of the previous campaigns despite being frozen out by Thomas Tuchel upon his arrival in the hotseat.

He didn’t make the squad in either the FA Cup final or the Champions League final.

So where would he fit in at Arsenal? There is a growing concern this window that Arsenal will not be able to shift the players they sorely want moved on. Already the club are battling loan offers with optional purchase clauses for those they are desperate to sell permanently, which is having an adverse effect on their ability to sign new players.

As stated in the report, as well as being fairly common knowledge, Arsenal will not be able to make any move until they move players on and accrue valuable funding.

From where it is now, nothing will happen in the Abraham case unless something changes in north London.

Continued…

Arsenal Must Sell Lacazette Before Tammy Abraham Transfer Move

Before even considering delving into whether or not Arsenal need Abraham or indeed whether he’s any good, there is no chance whatsoever of him joining the club he has supported since a boy with Alexandre Lacazette on the books.

The noises emanating around the camp are that the Gunners are looking to sell the Frenchman this window. However, as it stands there have been no bites.

Any club that does opt to move for Lacazette will likely do so late into the window when they have less of his wages to pay and can enter with a low-ball offer Arsenal can’t refuse.

Working on the basis that Lacazette does end up being sold, then and only then can any move for Abraham materialise. If that is the case then a season-long loan elsewhere for Balogun would be the wisest decision.

With two years left to run on his contract, Aubameyang would be part of a trio with Abraham and Balogun in a years’ time by which point the captain may not even be a certified starter anymore. Flo will have a full campaign of football under his belt and (hopefully) some European football to feature in come 2022/23.

It’s a scenario entirely reliant on Lacazette being sold – and this reported interest being more than just that – with Arsenal then deciding to fork out what Chelsea are after.

What won’t please supporters is the obvious: another Blues player joining Arsenal. Fortunately this one is distinctly younger and, despite what Tuchel thinks, is actually far better than he’s given credit for.

Beyond logistics, is this something Arsenal should be looking at?

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Tammy Abraham an Excellent Signing for Arsenal Under the Right Conditions

Is it actually going to happen? Unlikely.

In terms of convincing Abraham to join Arsenal, despite the lack of European football (he wasn’t playing any anyway) him being a boyhood supporter would make that an easy sell. However, the Lacazette situation is proving troublesome.

It speaks volumes of Abraham’s ability that the entire Chelsea fanbase, including top club reporters and journalists, remain baffled by his freezing out.

What he’d bring the Mikel Arteta’s side is something different. That variation at centre-forward the squad doesn’t currently have. He’s essentially a target man who does a bit of the rest.

Tall, physically strong and good with his back to goal, he finds shooting opportunities in the box easy to come by. His npxG/Sh of 0.21 is 96th percentile worthy, which demonstrates that he takes a high volume of shots in high quality areas.

Does he always look especially elegant? Not really, but it’s effective. Holding the ball up very well, his % of aerials won is an excellent 55.1% (92nd percentile), adding a different dimension to what Arsenal have.

Is £40m too steep? Perhaps, but you won’t find a player of proven Premier League quality who is homegrown and 23 years old for any cheaper. There may be bargaining space, too. If everything aligned well for this deal – getting the price lowered, moving on Lacazette, Balogun’s loan move etc – then Abraham would be welcome at the Emirates. He’s terribly underrated at Chelsea.

However. The dreaded however.

No need to swallow pride, Chelsea are making a mistake with Abraham. Arsenal scooping up more of their ‘rejects’ wouldn’t be the outlook on this particular scenario. Nonetheless, Abraham doesn’t boast the technical craft Arteta wants to aid with build-up play.

Ignoring that though, there are about 20 other tasks on the to-do list that come before forking out £40m on Abraham. Easily.

Arsenal need a centre-back, possibly two goalkeepers, a right-back, two central midfielders and a playmaker. That list is long enough and it completely ignores the outstanding amount of departures that need seeing to. The only transfer less of a priority is finding a backup for Willian. Sort out everything else first then come back if he’s still not been sold.

Underrated for definite, but so far down the list it doesn’t really matter.