After Vinicius Junior extended his contract with Real Madrid for six years, Arsenal have been forced to switch their focus to alternative options to bolster their left flank.
The Gunners had previously sent Leandro Trossard to Besiktas and brought in Christos Tzolis, but Mikel Arteta is still on the hunt for a top player to compete with Gabriel Martinelli.
Bradley Barkola is the main target
Following the setback with Vinicius, the priority for Arsenal is now 23-year-old winger Bradley Barkola from PSG:
- Competition with Liverpool: The Gunners have already made contact with Barkola's camp, aiming to steal him from under the noses of the Merseysiders.
- Price tag: Reports of Liverpool having a €128 million (£110 million) agreement have not been confirmed. PSG are looking to fetch around €150 million (£129 million) for their star.
Consideration for Mitoma
talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino has suggested that Arsenal also keep an eye on 29-year-old winger Kaoru Mitoma from Brighton:
If he were a little younger and hadn’t had such a history of injuries, I’d be all over him. At his best for Brighton, Mitoma is frightfully good. He’s a dangerous winger who loves taking on defenders. Arsenal have the squad depth to rotate him, so I’d be tempted to make that move.
Despite a tough last season with only three goals in the Premier League due to injuries, the Japanese international remains a class act with the ball at his feet. Nevertheless, due to his injury record and age, Barkola continues to be Arsenal's preferred transfer option.
