Arsenal have been handed a major boost in their reported pursuit of Christian Kofane after the Bayer Leverkusen striker broke his silence on his future.
Kofane has been linked with a move to the Premier League after impressing against the club in the Champions League last season.
His agent, Eric Depolo, previously claimed that the Gunners are in pole position to sign the 20-year-old, with Mikel Arteta reportedly a huge admirer of the forward.
Depolo also revealed that there has been contact between himself and Arsenal, although he stressed that it was too early to say which club was leading the race.
“Arsenal’s interest is genuine,” Depolo told Daily Arsenal. “The manager [Mikel Arteta] likes him very much.”
The agent went on to explain why he believes Arsenal could have an advantage over their rivals.
“Due to the fact that the player speaks Spanish, like Mikel Arteta, and that William Saliba is originally from Cameroon, I would say Arsenal are in pole position.”
“There is contact between me and Arsenal. But their focus right now is to win the league – from there everything will start moving.”
Kofane’s agent has placed a huge valuation on the striker, claiming that he is a €100million (£85m) player who could become a long-term solution for Arsenal.
“With Kofane, Arsenal will have a top striker for the next ten years,” Depolo added.
Despite the strong claims surrounding Arsenal’s interest, Kofane himself has now indicated that he is in no rush to leave Germany.
The youngster told Kicker that he can certainly imagine playing in the Premier League one day, but wants to continue taking his career step by step.
“I can certainly imagine it, yes. It’s one of the best leagues in the world,” Kofane said.
“But I want to take it step by step. I’m young and still have big plans with Bayer Leverkusen.”
The forward also made it clear that he is currently happy with life at Leverkusen.
“Bayer Leverkusen [are] a great club that has given me a great opportunity and a lot of confidence. I feel very comfortable here.”
That represents a note of caution for Arsenal, despite the encouraging comments from his representative.
Kofane is also reportedly attracting interest from Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, Brentford, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, meaning Arsenal would face significant competition if they decide to pursue a deal.
Arteta has confirmed that the club remain active in the transfer market following the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes, with further additions expected if the right opportunities become available.
Kofane therefore remains one to watch, particularly after his agent publicly placed Arsenal at the front of the queue.
For now, however, the 20-year-old appears focused on Bayer Leverkusen and has no immediate plans to force a move away from the Bundesliga.