Arsenal are going to have to dig deep into their pockets to secure a midfield deal they are said to be eyeing this summer. The Gunners are on a mission to upgrade their squad even further this summer, hoping to become more dominant in the Premier League while going one step further in their bid to win their first-ever Champions League title.
For the most part, Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta want clear upgrades, and that is especially the case when it comes to their two priorities, which are the left wing and number 8 positions. But Arsenal are also aware they need to replace potential exitees, and they have already signed Christos Tzolis to replace Leandro Trossard, who joined Besiktas in a search for regular starts.
The Gunners are also keeping an eye out for young talent, but they are going to have to dig very deep to sign one particular target.
Arsenal told they will have to pay big to sign Victor Froholdt
Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Copenhagen's Victor Froholdt in action
Arsenal are said to be interested in Porto's young star midfielder Victor Froholdt, whose value has skyrocketed. Porto spent around £17million to sign the 20-year-old last year, but his value has already risen from £10.2million at the point of the transfer to £42.6million, according to Transfermarkt.
The young midfielder played 34 times in the league alone for Porto last season, scoring six and assisting as many. He is already a 12-time Denmark international, and he is likely to remain a big part of his national team's plans going forward.
According to transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio, Arsenal are interested in a deal this summer, but they are going to have to pay big money.
He said: "Victor Froholdt is a really good player and AC Milan were actually interested in him in the past. I know Porto really want to keep him, so it will take a huge offer from Arsenal or Manchester United if the situation is to change. Their coach is really happy to have him in the squad and wants to keep him for at least one more season."
The possible asking price has not been clearly reported, but it's likely the fee will be above £50million, given the player's value. It's also worth keeping in mind that Copenhagen, Froholdt's former club, have a 10% sell-on clause.
Froholdt is a 'stunning' player with 'bags of energy'
Victor Froholdt Porto
Froholdt has been praised aplenty over the last year, and the most analytic view came from ESPN's Tor-Kristian Karlsen, who said: "Froholdt's maturity is stunning for his age. He offers physicality in duels, bags of energy, a smooth first touch, clear tactical understanding and creativity on the ball. Indeed, with his engine, versatility and drive, Froholdt is a fair bet to become one of Europe's next top line box-to-box midfielders.”
Arsenal are unlikely to see Froholdt as a ready-made starter, but he does look to be a player who can make an impact at Premier League level, and it's likely he is seen as a player who can play a supplementary role in the Gunners midfield with the view of going on to become a star in the coming years.
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