Arsenal considering move for red hot Serie A striker with tempting clause as Havertz upgrade plan ramps up

Harry Watkinson 21 Feb 2025 9:35 AM

Arsenal and Tottenham have been linked with Moise Kean

Arsenal are reportedly considering a move for in-form Fiorentina striker Moise Kean but could face competition from two Premier League rivals for his signature.

Mikel Arteta has made signing a new striker a priority for the summer transfer window and work is already well underway for the Gunners who are busy identifying targets.

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are ‘keen on’ Kean, who has a €52m (£43m, $54.5m) release clause which becomes active in the summer.

The report claims that Kean also has admirers in Tottenham and Aston Villa, with the player ‘tempted’ by the chance to test himself in the Premier League again.

The Italian international joined Everton for around £25m in 2019 but ultimately spent just one unsuccessful season at Goodison Park. He was memorably substituted after just 19 minutes on the pitch by interim manager Duncan Ferguson, and after that Kean’s Everton career seemed destined to be over.

After a loan with Paris Saint-Germain and a return to former club Juventus, Kean joined Fiorentina permanently last summer, for a bargain fee of £11m.

The 24-year-old seems to have finally found his feet in Florence and has bagged an impressive 19 goals in 29 appearances across all competitions this season – so it’s no surprise to see Arsenal keeping tabs on his situation.

Arsenal prioritising Benjamin Sesko deal – sources

We have consistently reported that Arsenal are expected to bring in a new front man this summer, as Arteta wants more competition for Kai Havertz.

The German international is sidelined with a hamstring injury until the end of the season, so the Gunners may end up regretting not signing a new striker in January.

TEAMtalk contributor Ben Jacobs has confirmed that Arsenal made enquiries for Brighton’s Evan Ferguson – who ultimately joined West Ham on loan, Botafogo striker Igor Jesus and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, as well as submitting a bid for Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins, which was swiftly rejected.

We understand that Sesko is Arsenal’s top target as things stand. The Gunners have a good relationship with Leipzig, and believe they are in a strong position to sign him, despite rival interest from Chelsea and others.

With this in mind, Kean may well be a player of interest for Arsenal but our sources state that they intend to focus on a deal for Sesko.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak is the ‘dream’ target for the London club, but signing him this summer will be extremely difficult given his valuation of north of £120m.

Arsenal round-up: Joan Garcia latest, Martin Zubimendi ‘broad’ agreement

Meanwhile, Arsenal have been given encouragement to sign Joan Garcia after an Espanyol chief spoke openly about selling the Spanish star.

Goalkeeper is another position Arteta hopes to strengthen in preparation for next season. Arsenal failed with a €20million bid for Espanyol shot-stopper Garcia last summer but remain on his trail.

Garcia’s release clause stands at €25m, and it will rise to €30m (up to £24.8m / $31.4m) during the last 15 days of the summer transfer window

Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarza has effectively now given Arsenal the green light to sign Garcia by admitting he cannot refuse suitable offers for the 23-year-old.

“Clause or nothing? No. In the [last] summer window, with [the] call from Arsenal in the last week, it has to be that [clause],” he said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

“But if you get an offer on June 14th that isn’t the clause but is close in fixed and variable amounts, Espanyol are not going to say no. We can’t say no.

“[But] if a club comes with €8m for Joan Garcia, that’s a bad sale, 100%.”

In other news, TEAMtalk revealed earlier this week that Arsenal have reached a ‘broad’ agreement with Martin Zubimendi on wages and bonus structure as they eye a move for him this summer.

There are still details to be ironed out and this isn’t a done deal yet, but the defensive midfielder is a top target for Arteta and his team.

Real Madrid have also been linked with Zubimendi but we understand that if Zubimendi chooses to leave Real Sociedad, the Premier League is his preferred destination.

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