Although Mikel Arteta has Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah at his disposal, Arsenal have made it a priority to sign a striker this summer. The Gunners could be challenging on all fronts next season, so they need depth in every position and a prolific centre-forward to call upon.
Arsenal are sure to have many names on their transfer wishlist and Tutto Atalanta claim Rasmus Højlund is on there. The 20-year-old is having an impressive debut season at Atalanta BC, but his long-term future at the Gewiss Stadium is uncertain.
Højlund’s deal runs until 2027, but he could be picked up by a big European club before then. The Danish international has scored six goals in his last 12 Serie A games, grabbing one assist. Højlund’s only turned 20 in February and has already represented his country at senior level, so his future looks bright.
Arsenal have three players with 10 or more league goals this season, but they don’t have a natural striker with more than half. Jesus has five goals in 16 outings while Nketiah has four in 23, so is Højlund prolific enough to challenge the pair for a starting place?
The Dane only scored one goal in his first 11 league games for Atalanta before hitting some form, so he’d surely take time to settle in England too. Arsenal would have to pay €50m (£44.1m) for his signature, so he’d be a similar price to Jesus.
The 25-year-old had accomplished far more than Højlund for the same transfer fee, however, so Højlund might be deemed too expensive this early into his career. He’s arguably one for the future too, whereas Arteta might prefer a more tried and tested option to ensure Arsenal can hit the ground running next season.
Højlund scored 12 goals with four assists from 21 games for SK Sturm Graz before making the switch to Atalanta, so his goal record has been impressive despite his young age.
He’s been prolific in the Austrian top tier and in the Italian top tier, so that does suggest he might be able to repeat the feat in England. Højlund might be better for a top-half side before joining a side like Arsenal, however, as he’s unlikely to dethrone Jesus on a weekly basis.
