Arsenal have been linked to a Serie A striker ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his title challenging squad this summer.
The Gunners have reportedly been after the player ‘for a while’, and may opt to finally reach an agreement with the ace as the club enter the search for increased squad depth to bridge the gap between themselves and champions Manchester City.
What’s the latest on Antonio Sanabria to Arsenal?
As noted by La Stampa (via Sports Witness), Torino forward Antonio Sanabria is ‘on the Gunners’ agenda’ this summer.
The report states that the player's value of €10m (£9m) ‘cannot scare off’ clubs interested in the striker, with Arsenal ‘above all’ having interest in the goal-getter for a while.
The interest between club and player reportedly spans over a decade, with the Londoners attempting to sign the ace as a teenager.
What could Antonio Sanabria bring to Arsenal?
Being raised in the infamous youth setting of La Masia, the Paraguayan was destined to shine from a young age, which he’s shown through a strong goal-scoring pattern throughout his career.
Having scored 27 La Liga goals and 32 Serie A goals in his career so far - as per Transfermarkt - the 27-year-old could be a worthy introduction to Arteta’s plans, as the Spaniard bids to have a stronger level of depth going into next season.
Despite displaying a delightful cameo when filling the boots of Gabriel Jesus due to the Brazilian’s injury, Eddie Nketiah remains Arsenal’s third-choice forward behind the former City ace and the newly arriving Leandro Trossard.
With Sanabria potentially on the horizon, the Paraguayan could force the 24-year-old further down the pecking order as he would arrive as an already established goal scorer.
This season, the Torino sharp-shooter has contributed to 16 goals in Serie A, scoring 12 himself and setting up four for his teammates in an impressive feat for the mid-table side, via Sofascore.
Criticised for ‘not taking his chances’ by those at the Emirates Stadium, Nketiah falls short of the Arsenal target in terms of average number of non-penalty goals, with 0.34 to the San Lorenzo-born gem’s 0.41 per 90, as per FBref.
Arteta could opt to introduce a seasoned player in the final third to add a more clinical aspect to Arsenal, who have been criticised by former player Paul Merson for not scoring ‘scrappy goals’ when it matters most, via GIVEMESPORT.
Lauded as “brilliant” by Roma legend Francesco Totti, Sanabria could be the missing piece to the Spaniard’s puzzle in closing the gap on Pep Guardiola’s side, who have an absurd amount of quality in their ranks, allowing them to conquer on most occasions.
With the transfer window approaching, and an attractive goalscorer potentially available for a low price, Arteta must fire fast to capture his target and bin Nketiah in the process.