Arsenal are set to rival Liverpool and Manchester City for the £30m signing of Red Bull Salzburg star Noah Okafor.
The Gunners have enjoyed an electric start to the season as they sit top of the Premier League with a five point advantage ahead of the World Cup. As we approach the mid point of the campaign, their attack has come in for high praise with the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in particular having shone.
Despite that, Arteta appears to already be planning for more additions. According to Sky in Germany, the North London club are interested in Salzburg’s Okafor, whilst there appears to be further interest.
Manchester City and Liverpool are noted as admirers of the young striker, whilst reports from Italy have mentioned Chelsea, West Ham United, Leeds and also reigning Serie A champions AC Milan.
Intriguingly, the Salzburg hierarchy have already refused to reject the prospect of a move for Okafor in the near future with his price tag apparently sitting at €35m (£30m).
Speaking to Sky Sport Austria, the club’s current sporting director Christoph Freund said: “I think there will be a bit more going on in the transfer market than in recent years. Okafor really took off last year. I hope he plays a good World Cup, then the Noah Okafor stock can become very interesting. I’m not ruling it out.”
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Okafor, 22, has enjoyed an extremely bright season having bided his time with Salzburg. The eight-cap Swiss international has 10 goals to his name in all competitions already this campaign having found the net against Chelsea and AC Milan in the Champions League.
The youngster has just a year-and-a-half remaining on his current deal having arrived in Austria from Swiss giants Basel in January 2020.
Should he seal a move away from Salzburg in the near future then Okafor would become the latest in an ever-growing list of talented strikers to have cut their teeth with their Austrian side.
Erling Haaland is one of the most famous names to have starred for the club before his move to Borussia Dortmund - the Norwegian having been followed by the likes of Patson Daka and Karim Adeyemi. Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane also had a spell with Salzburg before being picked up by Southampton in the summer of 2014.
Okafor will certainly be hoping to add to his impressive form as he prepares for his first World Cup. The young striker has been named in the Switzerland squad for the upcoming tournament in Qatar alongside potential future Arsenal teammate Granit Xhaka.
The Swiss kick off their Group G campaign against Cameroon in a week’s time before clashing with Brazil and Serbia.
