Arsenal Offered Surprise Chance To Sign 22-Year-Old Goal Machine

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign several highly-rated strikers this month, The Boot Room journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed.

Among those mentioned by the outlet are Serie A duo Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui, who feature alongside a less familiar name from the Russian Premier League – Manfred Ugalde.

The Spartak Moscow striker has been turning heads with his impressive displays in Russia, having scored 15 goals in 18 league games this campaign.

Aged just 22, he has the potential to improve and evolve over the coming years, making him an attractive option for clubs in need of a reliable goalscorer.

Finishing has been a big issue for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal this season, with Kai Havertz proving wasteful in front of goal and Gabriel Jesus being ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.

As such, a player with Ugalde’s profile, who would likely be available for a lot less than the likes of Alexander Isak, could come in until the end of the season to help bolster the club’s fledgling title challenge.

Ugalde joined Spartak in January 2024 for €13 million (£10.3m) and took a little while to get used to his new surroundings, having failed to score in his first 12 matches for the club.

This season, however, Ugalde has been in scintillating form, scoring 15 goals to date – four of which came in one match against cross-city rivals Lokomotiv Moscow.

Unsurprisingly, some of Europe’s biggest clubs took notice, with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City being linked with a move in recent months.

With 18 Costa Rica caps under his belt, Ugalde is also accomplished at international level. However, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal will take a punt on the youngster, who is set to prove himself in one of Europe’s top leagues.

Should Mikel Areta opt against a move, former Everton man Moise Kean could become an option, having scored 16 goals already for Fiorentina this season.

Arsenal have also been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha in recent weeks, although a summer move for the Brazilian seems more likely at this stage.