Arsenal have been linked with a promising young forward, who offers an upgrade to Kai Havertz
Arsenal forward Kai Havertz(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal’s need to strengthen their striker corps has been one of the club’s major narratives in recent weeks and the Gunners reportedly have a fresh transfer target in mind as they look to resolve their issues.
Arsenal’s recent goalscoring issues have been underlined by another injury to Gabriel Jesus, a disappointing return in front of goal from summer signing Kai Havertz and questions over Eddie Nketiah’s long-term future at the club.
The Gunners have won just once in their last five Premier League games and now find themselves fourth in the table, five points off leaders Liverpool, who last weekend knocked them out of the FA Cup in the third round at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal crashed out of the FA Cup recently (Image credit: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
According to the Telegraph, Mikel Arteta’s side are ‘admirers’ of Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee, a physical Dutch youth international who has netted eight goals for the Serie A side so far this season.
While fans would welcome a January addition, it is believed that completing a move in the current transfer window would be ‘highly complicated’, not least because Bologna have slapped a £50million price tag on the 22-year-old, given Arsenal’s £200million summer outlay.
Bologna sporting director Marco Di Vaio has gone on the record with his admiration of the ‘unique’ Zirkzee and with the club sitting fifth in the Serie A table, the forward will be crucial as they push for European football during the second half of the season.
Joshua Zirkzee of Bologna is on Arsenal's radar (Image credit: Getty Images)
A summer move would therefore be more likely according to the Telegraph report, which also claims that Arsenal are also tracking another young Dutch star in Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.
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Standing at 6ft 4in, Zirkzee would offer the Gunners the kind of physical hold-up play that Havertz has struggled to provide this season.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include tomes on Leeds United and the England national team.
