Arsenal are leading the race against Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus in the race to sign Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee.
The former Bayern Munich player has attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe after his impressive season for Thiago Motta’s Bologna.
The striker has scored 12 goals and provided 7 assists in 35 appearances so far this season, catching the eye of Premier League club Arsenal.
According to Gazetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Gunners are ahead of both Milan and Juventus as all three clubs are looking to sign a new attacker.
Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus is facing an uncertain future at the club, as per The Athletic.
The Gunners are in the market for a reliable and prolific scorer and they have been linked with a number of hot prospects ahead of the transfer window.
Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, Brentford’s Ivan Toney, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has all been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Gabriel Jesus has not impressed this season
Mikel Arteta’s interest in a new striker suggests that Jesus could be sold in the summer to make way for a new player.
Zirkzee could be perfect for the profile of the player the Gunners are looking at. The Dutch attacker is known not only for scoring goals but also creating opportunities for his teammates.
Jesus has only scored four goals in the league so far this season, therefore Arsenal may look to cash in if the right offer comes up.
Arsenal identify primary striker target
According to the report, Zirkzee has been identified as a possible alternative, and Bologna would demand at least £43 million to offload the young forward.
The striker may prefer staying in Serie A with Juventus his preferred choice.
Arteta and Arsenal would need to convince the player to come to the Emirates Stadium and join their impressive project.