Arsenal are considering hijacking a rival swoop for a Brighton winger
A new name on Arsenal’s shortlist of winger targets has been revealed by a top source – but it’s a player they’ll have to catch up with a rival suitor in the race for.
While everyone thinks a striker is what Arsenal need to start winning trophies again, they’re also wanting to add a new winger to their attack. It’s something they’re serious about, as you can tell by the quality and quantity of the names on their shortlist.
Arsenal have recently been looking at an ambitious swoop for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo. However, there are also other options who could be more easily up for grabs.
According to the latest update by Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal have added Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma to their shortlist.
With Rodrygo’s wage demands holding up that move, Andrea Berta is assessing other options Arsenal could go for, which has led them to consider Mitoma.
However, they aren’t leading the race for the Japan international at the moment, since Bayern Munich have been doing a lot of work on him.
Missing out on Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz – who’s on course to join Liverpool in a club-record deal – has shifted Bayern’s attention to Mitoma this week.
As Plettenberg has already explained, Bayern have been given reason to believe they can sign the 28-year-old for €50m (£42m/$56.8m).
Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, their directors of sport, have met with Mitoma’s agents this week and found out the Premier League winger would be open to joining them.
How he would feel about moving to Arsenal instead remains to be seen, but it would enable him to keep playing in England.
Interestingly, Plettenberg states that Rafael Leao is someone else Bayern have been in contact for. Similarly, the AC Milan winger is on Arsenal’s radar, so there could be a scenario where the Gunners sign one and Bayern sign the other.
Arsenal are on alert after Milan dropped their asking price for Leao – although he would still cost more than Mitoma – so he’s definitely one to watch in their mission to transform their attack.
Arsenal transfer news: LaLiga winger talks
Meanwhile, Arsenal have also been approached by the agents of Alejandro Garnacho to make it clear the Manchester United winger is available this summer, according to reports.
Mikel Arteta is also said to have held ‘direct’ talks with a winger currently lighting up LaLiga.
But for anyone worried Arsenal aren’t looking closely enough at strikers, TEAMtalk has discovered that they’ve held new talks for a top centre-forward target this week.
IN FOCUS: Mitoma v Leao this season
