The Sun are carrying a report claiming that Arsenal are among the clubs eyeing a late swoop to PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo.
The 23-year-old has been the subject of transfer speculation throughout the summer with Manchester United strongly linked earlier this month. Gakpo emerged as a potential target for Erik ten Hag after Ajax initially refused to sell Antony. That appears to have changed now though, with United securing the Brazilian winger’s signature for a record £84 million.
Arsenal have also been desperately trying to strengthen their attacking options and made an attempt to sign Raphinha before the Brazilian eventually joined Barcelona. Mikel Arteta sanctioned the loan of Nicolas Pepe to French side Nice last week, so the North Londoners are now short on the flanks and need to bring in another winger before the window slams shut on Thursday night.
The likes of Pedro Neto and Mykhaylo Mudryk have been linked but Gakpo is also emerging as a potential target. The Sun is citing Sky Sports News reporter Melissa Reddy as claiming on air that Arsenal are among the clubs eyeing a move for the PSV star.
However, the Gunners will face stiff competition with Newcastle United, Southampton, and Leeds United also named as suitors for the Dutch international. The Telegraph recently revealed that Southampton had a £21.4 million bid for Gakpo shot down by PSV. The Sun says the Dutch giants have been holding out on a fee of £40 million but they may lower their valuation after missing out on the Champions League group stages.
Our View
Arsenal are keen on adding another attacker before the close of the window. Gakpo is an excellent option and he has been impressive at PSV. He has made 143 appearances for the Dutch side, scoring 46 goals and assisting 39 times.
Gakpo is a pure winger who predominantly plays on the left side of the pitch. He has also been deployed as a central attacking midfielder this season, highlighting his versatility. That said, playing-wise, he can be a good fit for Arteta. Gakpo likes to play short passes and is good when it comes to 1v1 situations. Being a traditional winger, he likes to cut inside and his pace allows him to be a serious threat while attacking on the break.
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While his eye for goal is impressive, he also has the vision to create scoring opportunities so he’d be an exciting addition to Arteta’s squad. However, with time running out, Arsenal must move quickly if they are to sign the talented PSV winger before the window closes.
