Fansided

Arsenal hold talks to sign top scorer in Belgium in £6.8 million deal

By James Dudko

SINT TRUIDEN, BELGIUM - MARCH 04 : Henry Onyekuru of KAS Eupen and Damien Dussault of STVV during the Jupiler Pro League match between STVV and KAS Eupen at the Stayen on march 04, 2017 in Sint-Truiden, Belgium , 04/03/2017 ( Photo DH / Photonews via Getty Images)
SINT TRUIDEN, BELGIUM - MARCH 04 : Henry Onyekuru of KAS Eupen and Damien Dussault of STVV during the Jupiler Pro League match between STVV and KAS Eupen at the Stayen on march 04, 2017 in Sint-Truiden, Belgium , 04/03/2017 ( Photo DH / Photonews via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Arsenal are reportedly holding talks to sign a striker who is the top scorer in Belgium’s top flight this season.

Arsenal are in talks with Belgian Jupiler League side KAS Eupen to sign Nigerian striker Henry Onyekuru. The 19-year-old Nigerian has scored 24 goals this season, and Sky Sports News HQ’s Kaveh Solhekol confirmed the talks and the release clause Arsenal are expected to meet.:

Solhekol also revealed how Onyekuru wants to join the Gunners ahead of the list of suitors also interested in him:

Arsenal’s interest in Onyekuru was detailed recently by Simon Jones of the Daily Mail. Worryingly, Jones described how there are possible work-permit issues with the player:

"The concern for the teenage Nigerian is that he would not qualify for a work permit as he has yet to play a full international for his country.However, his fee of £6.8million plus wages of around £32,000 a week would aid his qualification under the totting up procedure for an elite talent."

Those details will likely trouble Arsenal fans anxious for the club to sign more ready made options in attack. Moving quickly to sign another unheralded youngster may read to some as though under-fire manager Arsene Wenger is still reluctant to spend big on the players the Gunners need to bridge the gap in the Premier League, after finishing fifth and 18 points behind champions Chelsea this season.

However, Wenger has a strong history of developing youth, particularly players of African heritage. Nwankwo Kanu, Lauren, Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Emmanuel Eboue and Alex Song were all signed by Wenger.

More recently, Alex Iwobi made his breakthrough to the first team in 2016 after representing Nigeria at youth level internationally. Arsenal also signed Nigeria U-17 star Kelechi Nwakali last summer, before loaning the player out.

Onyekuru is the type of prospect Wenger likes. He’s versatile enough to play through the middle or on the left flank, and can stretch any defense with his pace in behind. The teenager also already boasts a knack as a composed and classy finisher.

Of course, skeptics will point to Wenger’s last attempt to sign a bright young striker on the cheap, the free transfer capture of Yaya Sanogo in 2013. The French attacker’s injuries, lack of goals and disappointing loan spells have made him a figure of derision among many supporters.

Next: Arsenal fans react on Twitter to Europa League finish

However, Onyekuru would join Arsenal with a greater pedigree than Sanogo, after his prolific exploits in Belgium.

Given his fit for Wenger’s way of team building, any deal for Onyekuru would raise questions about whether the manager intends to stay in charge beyond this season.

Wenger’s contract expires this summer and he’s under increasing pressure not to renew after missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time since 1997.

Yet having already agreed a deal to sign wing-back Sead Kolasinac from Schalke 04, if the Gunners beat the competition to Onyekuru, it could be proof Wenger is already rebuilding and isn’t ready to step down just yet.

Home/Premier League