Arsenal have registered a surprise interest in Bournemouth attacker Jaidon Anthony despite all but announcing the transfer of Brighton star Leandro Trossard. The Gunners are set pay a £21million fee plus add-ons for Trossard, who has agreed a contract until 2027 with an option to extend by a further year, football.london understands.
Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo Mudryk was Mikel Arteta and Edu's primary January target but after losing out on his signature to Chelsea, Arsenal moved quickly to sign an ideal alternative. With Trossard and Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi falling out rather publicly, a deal being agreed for his departure seemed in January seemed likely.
Due to Arsenal's lack of attacking depth, with injuries keeping Reiss Nelson and Gabriel Jesus out of the team, Trossard will undoubtedly become an important option for Arteta. But the Spaniard may not be completely satisfied with just one forward option joining in January.
READ MORE: Leandro Trossard to Arsenal transfer latest: Edu talks, price tag revealed, agreement reached
According to the Daily Mail, Jaidon Anthony has emerged on the radar of Arsenal as another possible option available to the league leaders in order to bolster the options in wide areas.
Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have both started every Premier League game for Arteta this season, which has undoubtedly made the need for other options paramount. Nelson's impressive cameo against Nottingham Forest proved he could be an option but a hamstring injury has seen the Hale End graduate not play for Arsenal since the conclusion of the World Cup.
Despite attacking options being needed, interest in Anthony, who was on the books of Arsenal as a youth player, does come as a shock considering he has started only four of the Cherries' 19 games so far this season.
Anthony did feature in 45 of Bournemouth's 46 Championship matches as they won promotion last season, scoring eight goals and contributing seven assists. Arteta could play a role in helping him redevelop as a player, especially as his attributes directly correlate with what the Spaniard wants from his wingers.
The 23-year-old's contract at Vitality Stadium expires in 2023 and he is valued at £3.5million by the CIES Football Observatory.
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