Reports in English press suggests that Mikel Arteta is an admirer of Real Madrid’s Luca Jovic, and is interested in bring the forward to the Emirates Stadium.
The London club are desperate for a forward with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looking set to leave the club, and Arteta has identified the 22-year-old as a possible replacement.
However, fans of the club have so far treated such reports with disapproval when a section of their fans voted against his arrival – with 75 per cent of a selected fanbase not convinced with his behaviour on and off the pitch, especially after flouting the quarantine decisions last month.
The forward has had a first season to forget at Madrid, where he has hardly been involved. With 24 appearances, the Serbian has only found the back of the next on two occasions – a statistic that does him no favour.
The former Frankfurt striker made the move to the Santiago Bernabeu in a deal worth £60 million but his adaptation to the Spanish league has taken to long, prompting an early departure should any good offer be received.
Pundits in the UK have also added their voice to the reported interest, with Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand also disliking the idea.
“Would he be able to fit into the system Arsenal play? I don’t think so. I watch a lot of Spanish football, I’ve seen Jovic play and don’t think he’d fit in at our club. Even Zidane doesn’t really rate him”, Campbell said.
Ferdinand had nothing contrary also adding that, “He hasn’t done anything at Real Madrid, but the potential he showed at Eintracht turned him into a player who people thought highly of. It’s a different story though when a player goes to a big club, and that’s why Arsenal can’t make the same mistake”.
Jovic looks set to stay at Madrid next season but a move away from the Bernabeu should not be ruled out.
