Arsenal are interested in signing Espanyol forward Raul de Tomas if recent reports are to be believed.
The Gunners are keen to bolster their attacking options this summer, football.london understands after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona in January whilst Alexandre Lacazette is set to depart for Lyon at the end of the month. football.london understands that Manchester City frontman Gabriel Jesus is one name on the club's shortlist of profiles
Now, SuperDeporte have reported that the north London outfit are also interested in signing de Tomas, who has a release clause of €70 million (£60 million.) The report also claims that the La Liga club could be tempted by an offer of around €25 million (£21.5 million) for the 27-year-old.
READ MORE: Arsenal 'plan' £70m spending spree as Edu looks to wrap up two transfers after Fabio Vieira deal
De Tomas enjoyed an extremely productive 2021/22 campaign, netting 17 goals and providing a further three assists in just 33 league starts. The Espanyol frontman averaged 8.83 pressures per 90 minutes last season, as per fbref, a far-cry from the 19.19 that Arsenal man Eddie Nketiah registered last term.
This may mean that the Spanish international isn't the type of striker that Gunners boss Mikel Arteta wants considering his previous comments on Aubameyang's ability to press. "I wouldn't go to the goals," the Spaniard said back in October when speaking about the former Arsenal captain.
"Again it is what Auba is transmitting on the pitch. I have never seen Auba transmit what he is doing now. Apart from the goals, the celebration when they put the ball in the net, do you see the way he runs, the purpose he has to press the ball, and, when he takes it his movement, his link, how he is leading the game, not when he is static, and then he puts the ball in the net.
"I prefer this Auba." The lack of intensity may mean that de Tomas is lower down the Gunners' targets as technical director Edu continues to scour the market for a striker to help fire the club to their first top-four finish since 2016.
