Arsenal leading transfer race for £42m rated forward

Arsenal are still enjoying some downtime from the pressures of Premier League football over this international break, leaving plenty of time for the stream of transfer rumours to pour in.

Marcus Rashford was one of the more recent entries into the Gunners’ supposed wishlist, with other forwards seeing their names linked with north London as Mikel Arteta casts his net wide in search of a new centre-forward in the summer.

It looks increasingly likely that two will need bringing in with Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette due to depart when their deals expire, while Folarin Balogun would benefit from another loan move next season to further his development.

What kind of strikers do Arsenal need? Having been linked with Dominic Calvert-Lewin as well as Alexander Isak, it’s clear that there is room for maneuverability in what profile the club decides on. The latter of those is interesting, however, as the latest player to be linked with Arsenal fits that mould.

Arsenal leading race for £42m rated forward Cody Gakpo with Liverpool & Bayern Munich previously linked with transfer moves

Cody Gakpo has been Dutch football’s sensational talent this season. The PSV Eindhoven forward is only 22 years old yet has notched 16 goals and 15 assists across 37 appearances in all competitions, form that has his side challenging the indomitable Ajax for the league title.

Voetbal International first reported of Arsenal being in ‘pole position’ to sign him, with Eindhoven-based outlet Dagblad’s chief reporter Rik Elfrink since reiterating that interest. Both are hugely reliable sources.

This isn’t the first time these links have emerged.

Back in January there was Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Arsenal who were all mentioned in the same breath as Gakpo, with about three minutes elapsing from the Arsenal story to Gakpo penning a new contract with PSV until 2026. It was over before it began.

However, it’s been known that the Dutchman won’t be hanging around for too much longer – his club said as much – and despite the improved contract his sale is expected in the summer.

Rated from anywhere between £30m-£42m, the latter of those might be closer to the final figure if the interest from across Europe remains in place and a bidding war emerges. As said from the Dutch sources, though, it is Arsenal leading the pack. Their interest is quoted as ‘concrete’ and they ‘really want him’.

For fans of Gakpo, these are positives noises to come out of the Netherlands.

What is very interesting about this link, however, is that Gakpo is predominantly a left-winger. Most of his minutes come out on that side, and as Arsenal aim to bolster at striker, is this is an issue for them?

Perhaps not.

Continued on next page…

Cody Gakpo Can Be Arsenal’s New Striker

What do Arsenal need for a striker? The idea with Gakpo is a fairly simple one in theory: that he can be converted into a full-time centre-forward, a position he has played previously although not anywhere to the extent of left-winger.

In the era of Arteta’s positional play there is more room for flexibility. Arsenal will want someone to do ‘Lacazette things’, but there is also scope for development in style and as a team when incorporating a No. 9 who can actually score goals.

Gakpo is tall. He’s physically imposing. His dribbling ability in close quarters and at pace is frightening, and the comparisons to early years Thierry Henry naturally follow as a result. Key to him being a potential centre-forward in the future is the timing of his arrivals in the box, which is more important than where you start. He’s hungry in those areas and rarely is left to starve, such is his eye for goal.

A more apt example of a forward moving centrally from wide would be Ollie Watkins, who made the shift expertly during his Brentford days. Arteta utilises a different system with positional play, one where spacing is crucial and interchangeability is encouraged, and having Gabriel Martinelli out on the left expands the horizons for change.

Nothing is ever perfect, of course, and the devastating speed and direct running Gakpo has out on the left would lose some of its devastation with a new role to fulfill, but there is definite scope for him to move into a central zone with some clever coaching.

Or, conversely, he’s seen as another strong addition to the forward line in general, and not as a new starting striker. There is always that possibility, too.

What Gakpo is, however, is an outstanding young talent who is improving every week at an alarming rate. His numbers this season, especially creatively and on the European stage, are superb. Any time Liverpool or Bayern Munich are keen on a player it’s best to take that interest seriously.

An outstanding wide player with all the tools? Certainly. The new positionally fluid centre-forward Arsenal might what? Quite possibly.

In either case, the links are to be taken seriously.