Arsenal are reportedly among a host of clubs interested in signing Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic, who is expected to be sold in the summer transfer window.
According to Fichajes, Arsenal are among a quintet of clubs across Europe who are gunning to sign Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic in the upcoming transfer window.
The 24-year-old arrived at Real Madrid from German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2019 in a big-money deal worth €60 million. However, the move has backfired grandly for the player and the club. Jovic has looked a pale shadow of his former self, struggling to inspire any sort of confidence on the pitch.
Jovic, to date, has found the back of the net on just three occasions in Real Madrid colours in close to 50 appearances. The second half of last season saw the Serbian international return to Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, but the move did not help him regain his confidence. Back at Madrid, the striker was linked with an exit in the summer, but Carlo Ancelotti held on to him.
However, the Italian tactician has hardly used him over the course of the season, with Karim Benzema being the undisputed starter up top. Even when the Frenchman was out injured recently, Ancelotti did not turn to Jovic but opted to use the likes of Marco Asensio and Isco in a false nine role. It indicates where Jovic stands in the manager’s plans, and a summer exit seems imminent.
A host of clubs have shown an interest in the former Benfica forward despite his struggles in Spain. And among his suitors are Premier League giants Arsenal, who are in the market for reinforcements in the centre-forward position in the upcoming summer.
Arsenal lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January window after they terminated his contract and allowed him to join Barcelona on a free transfer. In addition, both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract at the end of the season. The latter has already refused several offers from the club, while the Gunners are delaying talks until the season for the former.
However, both the strikers are widely expected to depart from the Emirates Stadium, which would leave the north Londoners without any recognised senior striker. As a result, Mikel Arteta’s men are planning a big splash in the summer window for a new top-notch striker, with Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez on the radar, along with Real Sociedad star Alexander Isak.
Along with a premier striker, Arsenal would also need another forward to essay the role of the backup, which would explain their interest in Jovic. The Gunners had been linked with a loan move for the Real Madrid striker in January and could now return at the end of the season to sign him permanently.
However, they will have to deal with competition from several clubs such as Hertha BSC, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Atalanta, all of whom are keen on Jovic. With Real Madrid likely to offload him for a fee of €20-30 million, it remains to be seen if Arsenal will snap up the Serb or look at other options.