Arsenal Reportedly Jump Ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Race to Sign La Liga Forward
Arsenal have recently beaten Real Madrid to a player this past summer, signing Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. They could be about to do the same in the future as they reportedly have jumped ahead of them and Barcelona for a La Liga forward
Levante’s Karl Etta Eyong has had a strong start to the season with the promoted team after signing from Villarreal this summer. In 12 games, the Cameroon international has scored six times and added three assists. It has gotten the attention of the two top teams in Spain in Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as others.
However, a report from English publication The Daily Star has suggested that Premier League leaders Arsenal are in front of both the Spanish giants to sign the 22-year-old.
Arsenal Eyeing Competition for Viktor Gyökeres?
Arsenal have just splashed the cash on a forward this past summer, signing Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting CP. However, he has had a slow start and has now suffered an injury, which is not said to be serious. He was the first out-and-out striker Arsenal have signed for some time, with back-ups in Kai Havertz, who plays a more center-forward role.
The interest in Karl Etta Eyong is not a surprise, as he offers versatility, which coach Mikel Arteta loves in a player. The report from the English newspaper suggests the club may secure a deal in January, which seems unlikely. However, a future deal could happen if the club are fond of the player.
Real Madrid have the European Golden Boot winner as their central forward. There were links to several No.9 players this past summer, but the emergence of a youngster, Gonzalo Garcia, meant Xabi Alonso could save money. However, he has not progressed as he would like this season, and Endrick has also struggled.
It means Alonso could be interested in a forward, but does Eyong really fit the bill? Despite having a strong start, he is not a No. 9, something that Los Blancos have reportedly been looking for. In the past, they have had Karim Benzema and Joselu in the 2023-24 season. While at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso played with more of a target man up front, but also mobile.
If Eyong is the No. 1 target, then a move for him in January is likely out of the question for Madrid after their heavy business during the summer. If Arsenal do make a move in the winter, then Real Madrid may have to look elsewhere.
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-031bbeb5612ca252e2129722373fa56d.png "Jordan Merritt")
Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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