Arsenal are targeting new strikers this summer and have been quoted a gigantic fee for a player on their radar.
With current captain Alexandre Lacazette and academy graduate Eddie Nketiah set to leave at the end of the campaign on free transfers, Mikel Arteta will almost certainly bring two new strikers to the Emirates Stadium this summer.
The club have also been linked to a number of varied profiles, ranging from PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo to Brentford’s Ivan Toney.
However, if Arsenal go after Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, it will cost them a pretty penny. Manager Nelson Verissimo says the Uruguay striker, who has been in impressive form this season, could be sold for more than £100m, if the Gunners make a move, as has been rumoured.
“It will be at the end of this season or the following season, depending on what he has shown, it is natural that he will attract the interest of other clubs and naturally it may be the time when he goes,” said Verissimo. Now, as for the numbers, I hope as a Benfica fan that he leaves for numbers close to what Joao Félix’s numbers were (a record fee of 126 million euros).”
At the time of writing, the 22-year-old has scored 24 goals in as many appearances for the two-time European Cup winners this season. Surprisingly, he has also scored against Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Ajax and Liverpool in the Champions League, proving that he can finish on the biggest stage.
Nunez is valued at around £36 million for Transfermarkt (opens in a new tab).
More Arsenal stories
Arsenal remain linked to new strikers, with Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both out of contract at the end of this season. Paulo Dybala is a player who has reportedly turned heads, while Cody Gakpo has also been linked with a move this summer.
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has said he is not surprised by Mikel Arteta’s success and Arteta himself has defended his team’s celebrations in the wake of criticism. Nacho Monreal, for his part, recently spoke about the departure of Mesut Ozil from the club with FFTs.
Enjoy your first month for only £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without subscription
