Sardar Azmoun has been in sensational form in the last two seasons (Getty Images)
As per Area Napoli (h/t The Sun), Arsenal are leading the race to sign Zenit Saint-Petersburg forward Sardar Azmoun in the summer.
Azmoun, 25, rose through the ranks of Etka Gorgan’s youth system and moved to Russia with Rubin Kazan in January 2013. After two years with Kazan, where he scored 17 goals in 77 games, he moved to FK Rostov. Last February, Zenit signed him and he has become an integral member of the club.
He scored 9 goals in 12 league games last season for the Russian giants and has continued with the fine form this term. His impressive performances have not gone unnoticed as Premier League teams Leicester City and West Ham are also keen on signing the Iranian, as per the report. Thus, Arsenal should look to sign him at the earliest.
The Gunners have endured a disappointing campaign so far. As a result of their poor results at the beginning of the season, Unai Emery got sacked. However, the arrival of Mikel Arteta has brought in some positivity within the squad.
One of the chief reasons for their downfall is the lack of stability at the back. The defence has let them down on several occasions. And it is clear that the manager needs to bring in defensive reinforcements in the upcoming transfer window.
Apart from a defensive signing, the manager should also focus on strengthening the attacking unit. Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seems to be the only player in form for Arsenal. He has scored 17 goals out of the total 40 scored by the Gunners in the league this season.
However, Aubameyang’s future is up in the air and Alexandre Lacazette’s form has taken a huge hit. Eddie Nketiah is the only other natural striker left in their ranks. Thus, a centre-forward is a must in the summer if they are to do better in the next campaign, especially if the Gabonese international leaves.
In that regard, signing Azmoun would do them a world of good. The Iranian striker has been in sensational form for his club this season, scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists in 21 Premier Liga games. He has shown his potentials and has the ability to succeed at a higher level.
The 25-year-old would add more depth and quality to Arteta’s squad, whilst also bringing in healthy competition. And under the right guidance, he can develop himself into a key player for the Gunners, leading their attack for some years.
At 25, Azmoun is at the right time in his career to take a huge step to the higher level. And if Aubameyang departs, the Gunners’ quality and numbers upfront would be reduced. Thus, signing Azmoun would make sense for the club.
