Arsenal target Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca

Arsenal are likely to be active in the summer transfer window after falling short yet again in the Premier League title race for the third season running.

The North London giants are desperate to strengthen their forward line this summer after serious injuries to Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka ruining their season and title charge earlier in the campaign. As a result, they have fallen 12 points behind league leaders Liverpool after 29 games.

Thus, the Gunners are scouring the market to fortify their strike force. They are reportedly one of the three Premier League clubs keen on Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest are also keeping tabs, while there is also interest from Atletico Madrid in the towering centre-forward.

Lorenzo Lucca has been in fine form for Udinese this season, scoring 10 goals and giving one assist in 23 Serie A starts. The 24-year-old’s goalscoring exploits in Serie A have caught the attention of Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window. Udinese are open to cashing in on their striker and will want at least € 30 million to sell him.

Lorenzo Lucca on the radar of Arsenal

Injuries have seriously impacted Arsenal’s season, with Havertz and Jesus ruled out for the rest of the campaign. Saka has returned to training earlier this week after being out for more than three months following a hamstring surgery. Gabriel Martinelli has also spent time on the sidelines and missed key games.

This has resulted in Leandro Trossard shouldering the responsibility of creating and scoring goals at equal measure, which he hasn’t quite managed to do. In the absences of Havertz and Jesus, Mikel Arteta has been forced to use Mikel Merino as a false 9. While Merino has done a decent job in an unfamiliar role, the Spaniard doesn’t provide a long-term solution to the team’s goalscoring problems.

It is well documented that the Gunners are desperate for a clinical goalscorer. Lorenzo Lucca of Udinese has emerged as a target. Standing at 6ft 7ins tall, the Italian is a powerhouse of a striker who has led the line well for Udinese this season. Despite being so tall, he is quick through the ground and with his aerial ability he’d be able to give the Arsenal attack a different dimension. Given the Gunners’ prowess from set-pieces, having an imposing figure of Lucca would further make them potential in the opposition’s box.

Valued at around € 30 million, Arsenal must try to secure Lucca’s signature before their rivals up the ante.

I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.