Arsenal have their eyes on arguably Liverpool’s most lethal finisher, and reports suggest the Reds are open to a deal—if the price is right—after Arne Slot’s faith in the player began to wane.
Another transfer window has come and gone without Arsenal securing the prolific striker they desperately need. The absence of a clinical goal-scorer remains the biggest gap in Mikel Arteta’s squad, with the manager himself admitting his frustration over the club’s shortcomings in the market.
“We had a clear intention which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can make an impact,” Arteta said last week.
“With players injured, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it. We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well. I think that we were.
“It’s in the profile, a player that we believe can make us much better. Financially there is a lot of ways, a lot of things that we must stay in the lane that has taken us this far and from there try to improve.”
Arsenal made a move for Ollie Watkins and explored bold attempts to sign Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko. However, according to Anfield Watch, Mikel Arteta’s next striker target might be closer than expected—at Liverpool.
Reports suggest Arsenal had their eye on Diogo Jota last summer, and the 28-year-old remains on their radar. Now, it appears Liverpool would be willing to part ways with the Portuguese forward—if the price is right.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has reportedly grown frustrated with Diogo Jota due to his ongoing injury struggles.
Jota began the season as Slot’s first-choice striker, but an October rib injury gave Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz the opportunity to step in. Since returning to fitness, he has yet to start a Premier League match and missed two more league games in January (against Brentford and Ipswich) due to another setback.
When fit, Jota is arguably Liverpool’s most clinical finisher—even more so than Mohamed Salah, who requires a higher shot volume to score. However, with the Portuguese forward now 28 and injuries continuing to be a concern, Anfield Watch reports that Liverpool may be open to selling him in the summer.
By then, Jota will have just two years left on his contract, raising doubts about whether Liverpool will offer him an extension. Arsenal, who attempted to sign 29-year-old Ollie Watkins in January, have shown they’re willing to invest in experienced players for immediate impact.
The biggest question mark for Arsenal would be Jota’s injury history. Additionally, while Liverpool are open to a sale, they would likely demand a premium fee from Arsenal, given their status as a direct title rival.
Latest Arsenal news – Seven stars leaving?
According to The Daily Mirror, Mikel Arteta could part ways with up to seven first-team players to finance a major summer rebuild.
Loan signings Neto and Raheem Sterling are not expected to return once their temporary deals expire.
Meanwhile, Kieran Tierney, Jorginho, and Thomas Partey are all set to leave as free agents. Tierney has already agreed to rejoin Celtic on a pre-contract deal, while Jorginho is reportedly eyeing a move to Brazilian side Flamengo.
Additionally, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior have fallen out of favor at Arsenal and are now available for transfer. The defensive duo have managed just four combined league starts this season.
