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Arsenal are prepared to move for Brighton & Hove Albion star Kaoru Mitoma in the event that they fail to sign Real Madrid star Rodrygo, as per reports. The Gunners are prepared to make multiple attacking additions this summer, with a right-footed winger among their targets.
Journalist Florian Plettenberg reports that Mitoma has emerged as an option for Mikel Arteta's side amid interest from a number of sides. The Japan international features below Rodrygo and Nico Williams in the club's list of targets on the left wing after his impressive stint in England.
Unsettled Real Madrid man Rodrygo has been approached by several teams after rumours of his discontent in Spain began to make the rounds. Arsenal are one of the sides to have asked about the Brazilian, but his wage packet is considered beyond their means.
Gunners director Andrea Berta has Mitoma listed as an alternative to Rodrygo, and will sanction a move for the 28-year-old winger. The Japanese star is expected to cost around £42 million, with Bayern Munich also interested in signing him after missing out on Florian Wirtz.
Kaoru Mitoma is no stranger to transfer interest, having been approached by Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr just four months ago. Cristiano Ronaldo's side were prepared to pay up to £67 million for the forward, but the Seagulls were not prepared to sell their star midway through the campaign.
Mitoma is one of the worlds's best dribblers as he has a thesis written on the mechanics of dribbling, and is a very direct winger. The forward has scored 11 goals for the Seagulls this season, one more than his best-ever tally for the club.
Arsenal captain's preference for Real Madrid star comes to light ahead of transfer window
Arsenal have been strongly linked with Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, but their captain Martin Odegaard has another name on his mind. The Norwegian midfielder revealed in an interview with TV2 Sport back in March that Vinicius Jr was his target if his side were to strengthen from Los Blancos.
“Now I just said that Vinicius is the best in the world so it’s natural to take him.”
While Odegaard's comments from March were made without knowledge of Arsenal's transfer targets, their pursuit of Rodrygo has indicated their readiness to strengthen their attack. Talks continue to progress between the Gunners and their Spanish counterparts, as well as the forward's representatives, over a transfer.
Real Madrid are unlikely to sell Vinicius Jr, the reigning FIFA The Best Men's Player of the Year despite his obvious drop-off this season. The Spanish giants are in talks with the 24-year-old over a new contract, which will see him receive a higher financial package than he presently does.
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Sulayman Salahudeen
Sulayman is a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. He has an overall experience of 4 years, having previously worked at the likes of SportsRation and ExtraTimeTalk. His tryst with the sport happened at a young age, playing it at home and watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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