Arsenal Newsnow: Kaoru Mitoma, a winger for Brighton & Hove Albion, has apparently caught the attention of Arsenal as the club continues its quest for offensive reinforcements after missing out on Mykhaylo Mudryk, a priority target
Arsenal Newsnow: The young star of Brighton & Hove Albion, Kaoru Mitoma, has reportedly been added to Arsenal’s transfer shortlist for the month of January.
With Gabriel Jesus out for an extended period of time with an injury, Mikel Arteta’s team has been connected to Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk. Even though the 22-year-old was Arsenal’s top transfer target, the club opted against competing against Chelsea. They reportedly outbid the Gunners by paying £89 million to Shakhtar Donetsk for the services of defender Olexandr Mudryk.
Adding amazing flair to the high-profile takeover, the Blues gave Mudryk twice the salaries on the table at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, though, has been forced to go back to the drawing board in search of a new striker. Leandro Trossard of Brighton and Ferran Torres of Barcelona have all been mentioned, along with other options. Despite Arsenal’s interest in Trossard, the club is also keeping tabs on another Brighton player, the speedy winger Kaoru Mitoma.
Arsenal Newsnow: What’s the report?
Mitoma was purchased from Kawasaki Frontale for a relatively modest £2.6 million. He was then loaned to Brighton’s sister club Union Saint-Gilloise for the 2017–18 campaign. He impressed Brighton sufficiently with his polished and impressive play in Belgium that the club decided to give him an opportunity in English football this next season.
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Since then, he’s been on fire in the Premier League. He’s played 13 times and scored three goals with an assist. A key contributor to the Seahawks’ Premier League success this year, he is expected to take over for the departing Trossard on the left flank. The Japanese international has impressed with his outstanding combination of one-on-one skill, speed, agility, balance, technical proficiency, and game intelligence.
Will he sign for the Gunners?
The 25-year-old star will give Arsenal’s attack more speed, style, and directness. His arrival will free up Gabriel Martinelli to fill the vacuum left by Jesus. At the same time, he proved at the World Cup and for Brighton at the beginning of the season that he can be an effective substitute.
Brighton’s sale of Ben White and Marc Cucurella for almost €50 million indicates that Mitoma will not come cheap. But he would be a great replacement for Mudryk if Arsenal were to get him. But he would be less expensive than someone like Raphinha or Ferran Torres.
Technical director Edu has already “reached out to Barcelona in his quest for suitable replacements” to Mudryk. The story adds that Arsenal sees Trossard “as a more-attainable objective” than Mitoma. The Gunners are also reportedly keeping eye on Napoli wonder Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The north Londoners still have time to make an offensive addition, but time is running out.
