Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are likely to be busy in the summer transfer window as they look to kick on from last season.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners took the Premier League title race to the final day and will be eager to go all the way in 2024/25.
Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs finished fifth in the table, after being in the top-four picture until mid-April.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham are said to be looking at attacking options, with the idea of bringing in more firepower.
Now, the Gunners are reported to have made progress in pursuit of a forward who Spurs were linked with during the January transfer window.
READ MORE: Arsenal close in on Tottenham record after £96m shift in finances
Arsenal in talks with Tottenham January target Johan Bakayoko
The player in question is PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko, who is currently representing Belgium at Euro 2024.
Ahead of the January transfer window, journalist Rudy Galetti claimed on X that the 21-year-old was on Tottenham’s radar.
Since then, speculation linking Bakayoko with Tottenham has cooled, while Arsenal are said to be upping their interest in the player.
According to CaughtOffside, the Gunners have held talks with Bakayoko as they ponder a move for the €55-60million (£47-51million) ace.
The report claims that Arsenal’s interest seems to be the most advanced at present, while Chelsea and Liverpool are also circling, though they have not held talks with the player yet.
Arsenal reportedly want Bakayoko to rotate with Bukayo Saka, but it remains to be seen whether this role would convince the Belgian to make the move to N5.
Tottenham fans will be gutted if Bakayoko joins Arsenal
Spurs could certainly do with more quality in their attacking ranks, and prior reports linking them with Bakayoko have been well received by fans on social media.
However, Arsenal supporters also seem pleased by the prospect of Bakayoko joining the Gunners. And it’s no surprise, as he’s a top talent.
At just 21 years of age, Bakayoko has already made 85 appearances for PSV and has registered 21 goals and 19 assists. He also has 13 caps for the Red Devils.
In terms of his style of play, scouting outlet Foot The Ball wrote last April: “Bakayoko is a player with all the traits of a proper winger.
“However, the player has shown incredible maturity in adding other skills to his arsenal, including his fantastic deployment of the high press.
“The attacker spends considerable time behind the half-line helping his team out defensively. In fact, his skills and high work rate are pretty similar to a certain Sadio Mane.”
Football Talent Scout‘s Jacek Kulig has likened Bakayoko to Noni Madueke, Adrian Clarke said he’s similar in style to Bukayo Saka, and Fabrizio Romano deemed him elite on CaughtOffside.
With that in mind, Tottenham fans will be hoping their club rekindles their interest in Bakayoko, but if he is to go anywhere else, an Arsenal move is the one thing they won’t want to happen.
