Arsenal are reportedly plotting a swoop for Romanian prodigy Ianis Stoica after scouting him for the past two months.
According to a report from Romanian publication Playsport, Arsenal have a strong interest in securing the signing of 18-year-old prospect Ianis Stoica from FCSB in the summer of 2022.
Stoica came through the youth ranks at FCSB and has had multiple loan spells away at Dunarea Calarasi, Petrolul Ploiesti, and Metaloglobus Bucharest while he spent the last season out at CSM Slatina, where he enjoyed a decent campaign producing a return of seven goals and five assists from 24 games.
Having returned to FCSB, the 18-year-old Romanian prodigy has grown into a key first-team player this season. He has already featured in 14 matches across all competitions, scoring six goals in the process, while he also has two assists to show far. Stoica’s potential hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Italian outfit Bologna and Turkish giants Galatasaray expressing an interest in signing him.
As per the report mentioned above, Arsenal, too, have entered the pursuit of Stoica. It is claimed that the Gunners have been scouting the 18-year-old winger for close to two months now and have decided to approach FCSB to explore the possibility of signing their teenage prospect in 2022.
Arsenal have no shortage of options in the attacking unit. Mikel Arteta has heavily relied upon Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in the wide areas. The Gunners can also call upon Nicolas Pepe and Gabriel Martinelli, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Martin Odegaard are also capable of playing on the wing if necessary.
Nonetheless, there are serious question marks over the future of Pepe, who has consistently underperformed since his club-record transfer from LOSC Lille two years ago. The Ivory Coast international could be sold by Arsenal in the near future, with there being no shortage in interest for him.
Should the north London giants part ways with the winger, there will be room for the addition of a new player to fill in the position, making someone like Stoica a viable target. With Arteta looking to build a team with young and vibrant individuals, the 18-year-old fits the profile of players that the club are looking to recruit.
What now remains to be seen is if Arsenal can convince FCSB to part ways with Stoica, who will be entering the final year of his contract with the Romanian outfit at the end of the season.
