Justin Kluivert celebrates after scoring
As per reports in Italy (h/t The Sun), Arsenal are interested in signing AS Roma winger Justin Kluivert as a part of a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan going the other way.
A product of Ajax’s youth academy, Kluivert, 21, had a major breakthrough in the 2016/17 season. He became a regular member of the squad since making his debut for the senior set up in January 2017. The youngster made 56 appearances for the Dutch giants, scoring 13 goals and providing 10 assists before moving to Roma in the summer of 2018.
Since joining the Giallorossi, he hasn’t been able to make quite the impression. In 62 appearances for the Seri A outfit, he has managed to score just 9 goals and 10 assists.
The Gunners, meanwhile, have managed to lift themselves up after a torrid start to the campaign. They have improved at both ends of the pitch and the results have also taken a turn for good since the turn of the New Year.
However, there is a lot of differences between Arsenal and the top four teams, and it is important for the club to bring reinforcements for the next season. While the manager should, first and foremost, focus on strengthening the backline, he should look to add quality and depth in the attack.
Arsenal have, over the course of the 2019/20 campaign, relied heavily on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to score goals. The Gabonese international has scored 17 of the team’s 40 league goals this term and is their best player. Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette have failed to live up to the expectations this season.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund man’s future at Emirates remains uncertain as his contract ends in a year. Thus, attacking reinforcement is a must in the summer to maintain depth in the squad. In that regard, Kluivert would be a handy addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Though he has failed to impress at Roma, at 21, he is still young and is capable of improving under the right guidance. In his debut season in Italy, the Dutch youngster managed just 2 goals but did provide 8 assists in 35 games.
Kluivert’s goal tally has improved this season, with the Netherlands international scoring 7 goals in 27 games across all competitions, despite having missed a lot of games due to a hamstring injury. He would definitely add depth and quality to Arteta’s squad and with experience, he could develop himself into a key player at Emirates. He is capable of operating from either flank and would provide the manager with an extra option to choose from.
Though he hasn’t made the best impression in Italy, the youngster has shown immense potential throughout his career. And his improvement this season shows he could develop under the right guidance. Thus, Arsenal must prioritise signing Kluivert this summer. He could turn out to be a good investment for the Gunners if he fulfils his potential.
