ARSENAL are leading the race to sign Chelsea's Tammy Abraham this summer, even if the deal is on loan, The Sun can reveal.
Abraham will otherwise cost around £40m, but the Blues have struggled to find long-term suitors for the striker so far.
Elsewhere, the Gunners are interested in Leicester's James Maddison and Sassuolo's Manuel Locatelli.
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- Joshua Mbu
‘HE MISSES TOO MANY CHANCES’
According to ex Arsenal star Perry Groves, transfer target Tammy Abraham ‘misses too many chances’.
And Groves believes Abraham is better suited to a club like West Ham, who are also interested in signing him.
When asked on talkSPORT if Abraham is good enough to play up front for a top club, Groves said: “No, I don’t think he is.
“I don’t think he’s that level because he misses too many chances. He’s not calm enough in his finishing.
“He had a brilliant season under Frank Lampard where he got 15 goals in 34 appearances, but Chelsea were creating loads of chances and he was still missing lots of them.
“His general play improved under Lampard, to be fair, but that’s an add-on. You don’t get judged on your general play, your hold-up play, as a striker you get judged on your finishing.
“If you’re playing for Chelsea, and we’ve seen Werner miss loads of chances this season, Kai Havertz too, but if you’re playing for the top four clubs you’re going to get two or three expected goals in every game, and you’ve got to be taking at least one of those.
“I don’t think he’s quite at that level.
“He had two brilliant seasons in the Championship with Aston Villa and Bristol City, but I think he’s still got quite a bit to prove.
“If I was him, he needs to go and play now, he needs to play first-team football.
“Thomas Tuchel doesn’t fancy him at all, sometimes last season he wasn’t even in the squad, he wasn’t even on the bench.
“So he needs to go and play and he could suit West Ham… depending on how much it’s going to cost.
“He’s Chelsea’s top scorer, English, young, I think he’s probably worth around £30m. I think a fee like £45m would be too much.
“I think a move to West Ham would be a good fit for him. He’s not a top-four Premier League striker.”
- Joshua Mbu
MAIN MAN
Football agent Andrea D’Amico has confirmed that Arsenal have tabled a £34million offer for Sassuolo midfielder Manuel Locatelli, writes JAKE LAMBOURNE.
The Gunners are known to be admirers of the 23-year-old who helped Italy win Euro 2020 – their first European Championship since 1968.
But they face competition from Serie A giants Juventus, with the Old Lady believed to be the player's preference.
However it is understood that the Turin outfit are yet to meet Sassuolo's £34m asking price, and are instead eyeing up a swap deal.
- Joshua Mbu
ARSENAL TIPPED TO WIN ABRAHAM RACE
Chelsea are prepared to let Tammy Abraham join Arsenal on loan to speed through a deal.
The Gunners are emerging as the favourites in the three-way chase for the out-of-favour striker.
Arsenal’s London rivals Tottenham and West Ham are also keen to sign the England star who has failed to win over new Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea are demanding around £40million for Abraham but the fee is proving a sticking point for any suitors.
A loan deal with an obligation to buy should the player reach a pre-set amount of appearances look like being an ideal compromise.
It would also take Abraham’s wages of around £80,000 a week off the wage bill to help with financing plans in other areas of the squad.
- Joshua Mbu
GUNNER SWAP
Arsenal are prepared to offer Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles as part of a deal to lure Leicester star James Maddison to the Emirates, writes DYLAN TERRY.
The Gunners have been linked with the Foxes playmaker as a replacement for Martin Odegaard, who returned to Real Madrid at the end of last season following his loan spell.
And the Gunners have identified Maddison as the perfect fit, leading them to offer Nelson and Maitland-Niles as add-ons in a possible deal.
The Arsenal duo have failed to establish themselves as anything more than fringe players in north London.
According to The Mail, Arsenal believe Leicester are willing to negotiate with them.
However, it is also thought that Brendan Rodgers’ side are seeking to secure no less than a huge cash sum for the creative midfielder.
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