Arsenal are ready to offer Henrikh Mkhitaryan and an additional £20 million in an attempt to sign AS Roma sensation Justin Kluivert this summer.
According to Daily Mail, Arsenal could be a position to sign Justin Kluivert this summer, in a player plus swap deal. The Gunners are apparently looking to use AS Roma’s desire to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan permanently, to land the coveted winger in a cut-price deal.
Kluivert is believed to be valued around £36 million at the moment. But, Arsenal are keen on reducing that valuation by offering Mkhitaryan, who is rated at £13 million and an additional £20 million in a player plus cash deal.
It sounds like a smart move by Arsenal, who are in desperate need of offensive reinforcements this summer. The north London giants have evidently struggled in the creative department following the departure of Aaron Ramsey, with Mesut Ozil enduring a steady decline. In addition, last summer’s marquee signing Nicolas Pepe has failed to live up to his hefty price-tag.
In such a situation, the return of Mkhitaryan this summer would serve as a major boost for Mikel Arteta’s side. However, the Armenian has shown time and time again that he is not an ideal fit in the physically astute nature of the Premier League.
Serie A, in contrast, is much more suited to the playing style of the ex-Dortmund star. As a result, Mkhitaryan has found a lot of success in his ongoing loan spell at AS Roma, having been involved in nine goals in just 12 league matches.
As for Kluivert, he might be forced to leave Rome this summer as the club looks to combat the financial crisis inflicted by the Coronavirus. He is certainly one of the most valued members of the team, being the son of former Barcelona icon Patrick Kluivert.
The Dutchman is yet to explode in the footballing scene in Italy at the moment. But, he has shown a lot of promise and his pace and trickery on the flanks have caused havoc for the opposing defences. Kluivert, therefore, could be an ideal match at Arsenal.
Especially in the wide-attacking department, the 21-year-old could be considered as an alternative for the underperforming duo of Reiss Nelson and Pepe. Meanwhile, Arsenal are running the risk of losing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer, which could create a massive void at left-wing. Kluivert, in that regard, should be more than able to fill that hole.
The AS Roma star has obvious shortcomings in terms of productivity in the final third. But, at 21, he has time on his side and given the way how Arteta has influenced the squad this season, Emirates should be an ideal destination for Kluivert this summer.
