Arsenal are now said to be interested in signing two teenage talents who are also being heavily scouted by Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund.
It seems as if Edu Gaspar’s team have slightly shifted their plans over the last 12 months or so, and will now compete with Europe’s elite to sign the best young talent.
During his time at the club, Mikel Arteta hasn’t often turned to the Hale End academy – an understandable decision given the pressures on the first-team.
Despite the talent and potential of players like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, they are not yet equipped to help Arsenal win the title, nor navigate a Champions League campaign.
That being said, they may be ready in a year or two, and Arsenal are seemingly planning to recruit some of Europe’s best young talent to come through alongside their home-grown stars.
And having recently been linked with Barcelona’s 19-year-old Mikayil Faye, a signing that would be for the first team, it seems as if Arsenal are keen to cut the Catalan club out of the loop when it comes to signing the next Faye.
Barcelona signed Faye from NK Kustosija in Croatia, and that’s exactly where Arsenal have just identified two young transfer targets.
Arsenal told young Croatian pair Lovro Chelfi and Niko Tomasevic will only cost £3m
According to Croatian outlet Index, Arsenal are one of a few clubs who have been intently scouting young Kustosija pair, Lovro Chelfi (16) and Niko Tomasevic (17).
The report describes the duo as ‘extremely talented’ youngsters who could be available for €2m each, with the addition of some future clauses.
As mentioned, Kustosija do have a strong recent history of selling young players with Faye going to Barcelona for €5m last year and Dino Klapija heading to RB Leipzig in January of this year for a similar fee.
If Arsenal did progress with their interest in Chelfi, an attacking midfielder/winger, and Tomasevic, a typical number eight, they would likely join Hale End initially, but could soon enter Arteta’s first team thoughts in the years to come.
Either way, at the prices mentioned any deal would be relatively low-risk for the Gunners, who will be aware of the high upside of successful talent identification.
Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, Arsenal are said to have now made a £46m bid for Benjamin Sesko, Leipzig’s striker with interest across Europe.
However, Barcelona may now scupper Arteta’s plans to sign his ‘dream’ midfielder this summer.