Arsenal have now entered contention to sign a Champions League star, but they may have to do battle with rivals Chelsea in the race for his signature.
Although the Gunners were handed a setback in the EFL Cup, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat against Fleetwood Town at the fourth-round stage, they are once again on course to have a very successful season.
The 1-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield put Mikel Arteta’s side into a commanding position in the Premier League, especially with the outcome of the appeal still looming large over Manchester City.
Qualifying for the next round of the Champions League should also be relatively easy work, and Arteta will be hell-bent on avenging the loss against Paris Saint-Germain in the final last season.
When asked if he had moved on from the penalties defeat, the 44-year-old said: “I tried, but I haven’t managed to. I tried for many weeks during the summer, but when I see the ball, the scenes, I hear the music, I want it so badly.
“We know that we have to go step by step, but I think that fire is within the team and all of us individually. We know what we had to go through – not being champions of Europe by a penalty. So, let’s try again.”
That will be music to the fans’ ears, with the Gunners looking to win Europe’s top competition for the first time in their history, but they may need a little more attacking firepower to do so, having missed out on Julian Alvarez during the summer.
Arsenal enter race to sign Aleksey Batrakov
Signing a new striker may help Arsenal get over the line, but they are also looking to add another attacking midfielder to their ranks, emerging as potential suitors for Galatasaray star Aleksey Batrakov.
Batrakov is being targeted by a number of Premier League clubs, such as Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Liverpool, having caught the eye for Galatasaray in the Champions League this season.
Aleksey Batrakov’s career stats | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
Galatasaray | 12 | 5 | 3 |
Lokomotiv Moscow | 84 | 34 | 23 |
Russia | 15 | 4 | 4 |
The 21-year-old has scored four goals in as many matches for the Turkish side, and became the first Russian player to score in three consecutive Champions League matches when he bagged a brace in a 2-0 victory against Stuttgart on Tuesday night.
Former Lokomotiv Moscow president Olga Smorodskaya waxed lyrical about the youngster after he achieved the feat, saying: “He’s simply an outstanding player! To achieve such success while still adapting to a new club, and even in the Champions League, is incredible! Batrakov is an incredible footballer.”
Batrakov’s performances in the Champions League indicate he could make an instant impact in the Premier League, but a deal would be expensive, as there is a £50m release clause in his Galatasaray contract.
Source: www.footballfancast.com
