Mikel Arteta driving interest in Brazilian striker who could reshape Arsenal attack
Arsenal are pondering a move for Everton striker Richarlison as Mikel Arteta plans for the future without Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, claims a report.
Gunners boss Arteta is understood to be driving the interest in the Brazilian, who helped sink Arsenal on Monday night. The Spanish boss saw at close quarters how destructive Richarlison can be. The forward scored and had another two narrowly ruled out by VAR.
And that performance is understood to have stirred Arteta, who looks likely to lose Aubameyang and Lacazette next summer.
Fichajes reports that Arsenal are plotting a move for Richarlison, who is at a “club that is too small”.
The Spanish outlet suggest that the summer could be the perfect time for the 24-year-old to move on.
He joined the Toffees in 2018 from Watford for an initial £35m, rising to £50m. He remains under contract until 2024 and Arsenal would have to pay big to get the former Fluminese man to The Emirates.
Richarlison is also on the radar of Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, per the report.
Arsenal’s need though may be greater for a player who has 45 goals and 11 assists in 129 games for Everton.
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Lacazette, Aubameyang to leave?
Lacazette’s deal expires next summer and he will almost certainly move on.
The 30-year-old’s current deal with the Gunners expires in June 2022 and he is free to speak to overseas clubs in January to negotiate a free transfer.
Arteta said: “It’s the situation that we have and we have to accept it.
“I cannot ask anything from the player… and it’s not an individual situation because it has a knock-on effect.
“All of this we have had to deal with in the past and still now, we have to see what the best option is for everybody at the end of the season.”
Aubameyang’s future is not as cut and dried. The 32-year-old will have a year to run on his deal next summer, but his future looks uncertain.
The Arsenal captain was left out of the side that lost to Everton. And Gary Neville has predicted that things could turn “sour” between the player and the club.
Neville said on Sky Sports: “I think there will be a problem with Aubameyang off the back of this game
“I don’t think he’ll like the idea of Nketiah coming on. I don’t think he’ll like the idea of being a sub full-stop.”
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