According to the most recent sources in Germany, Hugo Ekitike, a transfer target for Chelsea and Liverpool, has become one of Arsenal's top summer targets.
In an attempt to strengthen Mikel Arteta's defense, the Gunners have already arranged agreements of £55 million and £9 million for Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad and Christian Norgaard of Brentford.
Arsenal has struck a "full agreement" on personal terms with Valencia center-back Cristhian Mosquera, while they are giving goalkeeper David Raya some competition with the £5 million signing of Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea.
On his YouTube channel, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano provided an explanation of the Mosquera scenario, stating: "Cristhian Mosquera's initial offer from Arsenal for €14 million was turned down. Arsenal will go back to the negotiating table with the goal of completing a deal for this Spanish defender for between €20 million and €25 million.
Let's assume that Mosquera, whose contract with Valencia expires in a year and who has accepted the terms proposed by Arsenal, would cost more than €20 million to acquire.
Because he wants to play in the Premier League and wants to join Arsenal, Mosquera has already said yes to the offer from Arsenal, the contract, Mikel Arteta, Andrea Berta, and every other member of the team.
There is now no agreement on €14 million or €15 million, but Arsenal will return to the negotiation table as they discuss and negotiate club to club.
"I think Arsenal will win this one handily again."
This summer, Arsenal has made finding a new center-forward a primary priority. Among the players they have been trying to sign are Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP.
However, given the exorbitant prices their clubs are demanding, Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta seem to be putting off a possible move for Gyokeres or Sesko.
The French international is "once again playing a serious role in Arsenal's transfer plans," according to German newspaper Bild, which also reported that the Gunners have "suddenly" entered the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Ekitike.
It is believed that the Gunners' attempts to sign Gyokeres or Sesko have not progressed much, and Berta is currently "considering" Ekitike and former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez.
"Berta and Arsenal actually don't want to pay a mega transfer fee in the region of €100 million," the story continues. However, some are now arguing that Ekitike would suddenly become a big draw if Arsenal is unable to considerably decrease the price for Gyökeres and Sesko and a higher sum would be required for a new attacker anyhow.
Ekitike is said to be open to the move and would actually be quite keen on the chance to work with Mikel Arteta, who’s earned real praise for the way he’s helped young forwards grow into top-level players. According to reports coming out of Germany, the 22-year-old is weighing up his options this summer, but views a switch to Arsenal as a step that matches both his goals and his potential.
Frankfurt aren’t exactly pushing him out the door, but they are believed to be willing to let him go if a decent offer lands on the table. After a frustrating season that included injury setbacks and limited game time, both the player and club seem to understand that a change might be the best move for everyone involved.
Reports from Bild over the weekend claim Arsenal have already resumed contact with the striker’s representatives and are now weighing up whether to submit an official bid, with Frankfurt valuing the Frenchman at around €25 to €30 million. That figure is significantly below the quotes being mentioned for Gyokeres and Sesko, and is believed to be more in line with what Arsenal are willing to pay this summer.
The club’s strategy appears to be shifting slightly under Berta, with a growing preference for flexible deals that don’t compromise financial control, especially with FFP margins tightening.
Internally, Ekitike is viewed as a player with high technical ceiling and room to grow under Arteta’s demanding system. He’s not the finished product, but the club believes he has the raw movement, flair and instinct to become a complete forward with time and trust. It’s a profile Arsenal have targeted before — young, under-valued, hungry. The same formula brought them Gabriel Martinelli, William Saliba, and even Bukayo Saka’s breakthrough into the first team.
As things stand, Julian Alvarez remains a dream target, though not a particularly realistic one. Manchester City have no intention of selling him and even a loan deal would be hugely complicated unless City make another high-profile attacking signing this summer.
That puts Ekitike in a more realistic bracket for Arsenal, especially with a few other Premier League sides keeping tabs. Both Liverpool and Chelsea have shown interest, but the sense is that Arsenal’s current project might hold more appeal not just in terms of minutes on the pitch, but also the environment for development and the long-term direction under Arteta.
At the same time, the Gunners are still quietly pushing ahead with other key targets behind the scenes, trying to get everything lined up before the window really heats up. The Mosquera situation is expected to move quickly, with Valencia gradually warming to the idea of a sale before preseason.
Sources close to the negotiations believe the Spanish club will accept a final bid closer to €22 million once bonuses and sell-on clauses are included. Arteta is hoping to have Mosquera involved in training before the end of July.
The deals for Zubimendi and Norgaard are believed to be progressing smoothly as well, and there is quiet confidence within the club that both players will be signed before the Community Shield. With Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny having already departed, and Thomas Partey still expected to leave before deadline day, midfield depth is one of the clear priorities that Arsenal are aggressively addressing.
There’s also growing chatter about fringe outgoings in the next two weeks. Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga and Reiss Nelson are all expected to be offloaded, while Folarin Balogun’s situation remains under review, though sources say he could stay if no acceptable offers are tabled.
The club is eager to maintain a lean squad this season to avoid the inconsistencies that plagued the previous campaign during fixture congestion.
Back to the striker front, Arsenal are aware that a late hijack is possible, especially with Chelsea reportedly keeping tabs on Ekitike as a cheaper alternative to Osimhen. But this time, there’s a sense the Gunners won’t be dragged into a bidding war.
If the deal makes sense financially and the player is sold on the project, they’ll move. If not, they’re prepared to walk away. That discipline has been evident under Edu and Arteta before and now with Berta’s influence, it’s becoming the norm.
Everything now depends on timing and negotiation finesse. If Arsenal want Ekitike, they may need to act fast, before Frankfurt receive firm proposals from elsewhere. The window is just beginning to heat up, and while fans wait for that marquee striker signing, it’s clear the club is moving with intent and calculation, and not just chasing names for the sake of headlines.