Nigel Winterburn has urged Arsenal to secure the signing of former Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham in the summer.
Tammy Abraham has been one of the success stories in Serie A this season. The AS Roma forward has lit up the Italian top-flight since moving from Chelsea in the summer, netting an impressive 15 goals in just 23 league appearances.
Abraham’s unprecedented success under Jose Mourinho has helped him return to the England setup ahead of the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. And ahead of a crucial few months, the former Chelsea forward is already starting to attract interest from Premier League clubs, with Manchester United among the clubs interested in securing his services.
Speaking to FreeSuperTips, Arsenal legend Nigel Winterburn has weighed in with his thoughts on Abraham’s rapid rise to prominence and his future at AS Roma. He has urged his former club Arsenal to make a move for the Englishman and has backed the player to succeed at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta.
“Back in the summer when he was moving, there was a link with Arsenal, I don’t know how strong, but he fits into the bill of what Arsenal were trying to do. A young player with huge potential, so my opinion doesn’t change that he would have been a great option for Arsenal,” he said, as quoted by Daily Mail.
Winterburn, who had made over 350 Premier League appearances during his professional career, went on to suggest that Abraham might not consider returning to England in the summer.
“I would suggest that if he’s enjoying himself, then he wouldn’t want to move. He’s playing regular football, so I don’t feel like he would move back to England next season. I don’t see why he would move back, sometimes when you move and get that freedom, that game time you wanted and scoring goals it does wonders for you,” said the 58-year-old.
“I always remember Arsene Wenger saying that Nicolas Anelka felt he moved two years too early. I’m not expecting Tammy Abraham to move, someone’s taken a chance on him, and he’s repaying that faith.”
“But let’s wait and see, I imagine he’ll be looked at because he’s young and someone who will be on a upwards trajectory, so there’s always going to be interesting,” he added.
Even if Tammy Abraham does intend to return to England in the summer, the English clubs are set to face strong resistance from AS Roma. The Giallorossi are determined to keep hold of the Englishman beyond the summer and are likely to utilise his long-term contract to demand a hefty price tag, somewhere in the range of £100 million.