Premier League trio Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United are keeping close tabs on FC Basel’s prolific Brazilian striker Arthur Cabral
According to TEAMtalk, the Premier League trio of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United are all watching Brazilian striker Arthur Cabral.
The 23-year-old joined Basel from Palmeiras initially on loan in 2019. His performances saw the deal being made permanent in 2020, and Cabral has not looked back since. With 20 goals and six assists in 17 appearances so far, the Brazilian striker continues to impress this season and has caught the attention of some of Europe’s leading sides.
Cabral’s success is not news for Leeds, who were keen on the player in the summer of 2020. Their bid fell short, and the Elland Road outfit had to settle for Rodrigo Moreno instead. This past summer, Leeds once again made an approach for the player but were knocked back thanks to his work permit-related issues.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side have won just one of their opening seven games. Both Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo have combined for just one goal all season. And it is clear that Leeds could have done with a serial goalscorer given the start to the season.
Leeds could, however, face a tougher fight next time around in their pursuit of Cabral. The 23-year-old’s talent is not a secret anymore, and he was even called up for international duty with Brazil. Making his international bow will certainly aid his cause for a work permit.
Leeds will now have to combat Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who are also keeping tabs on Cabral. The North London duo are in a state of refit and will need to make the right moves in the market to aid their rebuild.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not getting any younger while Alexander Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah’s contracts are up next summer. While Folarin Balogun and Gabriel Martinelli have promise, they are not yet ready to lead the line for an Arsenal side hoping to turn relevant at the top end of the table.
By landing Cabal, the Gunners could be getting themselves a reliable goalscorer for years to come. Combine it with the likes of Kieran Tierney, Bukayo Saka, and Emile Smith Rowe, and Mikel Arteta could have the makings of a young spine.
Tottenham too, could do with a goalscorer given Harry Kane’s recent struggles. The England captain is not only going through a lean patch, but his attention appears to be on a move elsewhere. The Spurs attack goes stale in the absence of Kane and Son Heung-min. Bringing in another goal-getter should be a priority regardless of what Kane chooses to do next summer.
Neither Arsenal nor Tottenham can be considered to be a top-level destination at this point in time. Cabal appears destined for the top and will have more options on the table should he continue his rise to prominence, although it remains to be seen if Leeds can finally prevail in the Brazilian striker’s pursuit.
