The North London club are plotting to sign Kluivert in a swap deal involving Mkhitaryan.
Arsenal are reportedly looking to sign Roma winger Justin Kluivert while Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be used as a makeweight. The Armenian star is currently on loan at Roma and they are eager to tie him up permanently. The Gunners, who are ready to offer him to the Serie A side for a fee in the region of £10m, want to sign Kluivert in the swap deal, making it a player plus cash deal of worth £36m.
The Gunners are currently looking for some fresh faces in the transfer market while reinforcing the attacking unit turns out to be a priority. Almost all clubs in Europe are looking to make use of the swap deals to sign players in the transfer window, let alone Arsenal.
Kluivert – a promising talent
Having brought up through the youth ranks of renowned Ajax academy, Kluivert sought a transfer to Italy in 2018. While the Dutch youngster showed enough promise in his first season at Stadio Olimpico, the following season saw him improve by leaps and bounds. Despite featuring only in 17 games in Serie A this season because of a hamstring injury, Kluivert has bagged 4 goals and 2 assists; add another 3 goals ( in Europa League) to his tally. Under Paulo Fonseca, the 21-year-old has thrived in Giallorossi’s attacking line-up, mainly functioning as a winger on both the flanks.
Arsenal’s need for attacking reinforcements
The arrival of Mikel Arteta in midseason brought a glimmer of hope to the Gunners with a brand new style of play. With the new-manager bounce was evident in the initial stages, the results have regressed lately under the Spaniard. A squad overhaul is certainly needed given the form of the current players.
The attacking half is currently devoid of wide players with Nicolas Pepe’s first season at the Emirates Stadium leaves a lot to be desired. Pierre – Emerick Aubameyang’s time at Arsenal is nearing its end as his contract is set to expire next year. Nonetheless, the Gabonese striker is soon to turn 31 and can’t be considered as a vital part of the club’s long-term plans. His striker partner Alexandre Lacazette is also reportedly in talks over his contract extension amidst the transfer interest from Atletico Madrid.
Given the situation of the talismanic stars, the Gunners can go all out for a traditional winger like Kluivert, who would easily fit into Arteta’s playing 11. Besides, the Dutch international also tick multiple boxes: flamboyant player, 1 vs 1 winger (which is important to Arteta’s style of play) and most importantly the age factor.
