Arsenal continue to show an interest in Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres but have also identified in-form Atalanta forward Mateo Retegui as an alternative.
Sources close to the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Retegui is emerging as something of a Plan B for the Gunners as they look to strengthen up front, with a deal possibly there to be done if Atalanta receive at least €50m for the Italy international.
Retegui has an impressive record of 11 goals in 12 Serie A games this season, and he’s also contributed three assists, so it’s not surprising that numbers like that are seeing him attract attention.
Arsenal working on deal for €30m wonderkid!
Atalanta don’t want to sell Retegui, but it is understood that they might find it hard to say no if the money is right, and €50m is the kind of figure that is expected to test their resolve.
It remains to be seen if Arsenal will pay that for the 25-year-old, but he is in superb form at the moment and looks like someone who could add something to Mikel Arteta’s struggling side.
Do Arsenal need a signing like Mateo Retegui to get them back in the title race?
Arsenal are now nine points behind Liverpool in the Premier League title race, and although yesterday’s 1-1 draw away to Chelsea can hardly be called a bad result, their recent slip-ups against the likes of Bournemouth and Newcastle meant they really needed more than just a point at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal haven’t really clicked in attack, and while part of that is down to Martin Odegaard being out injured for much of the campaign, there’s perhaps also a case for saying they could do with someone to take the pressure off Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka in the final third.
Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard haven’t been performing at their best recently, and Retegui looks like he could be a fine addition to add some fresh spark to Arteta’s attack.
Arsenal really should consider a major January deal to try to improve things, or they’re surely going to struggle to catch up with current pace-setters Liverpool.
Which Italian striker of serie a has ever been a big hit in the Premiership? None! Arteta’s series of poor purchases will put Arsenal in big trouble.
What I saw yesterday as our forward line missed to score a stoppage time winner against a panicked and outwitted Chelsea backline,convinced me that our current frontline cannot deliver us any silverware.We need a striker with a killer instinct as soon as by this January window.