‘Asked not to train’: Journalist says £20m forward on Arsenal radar wants to leave

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Arsenal have been linked with one of Brazil’s best up-and-coming strikers in the past few weeks.

In July, FT reported that the Gunners had been keeping tabs on Santos forward Marcos Leonardo.

That article also claimed that Arsenal were ‘weighing up’ whether to make a move for the 19-year-old.

Arsenal have bolstered their ranks considerably this summer. However, they’re yet to bring in attacking reinforcements.

Although Kai Havertz can play in attack, it looks as though Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is looking to use him in midfield.

However, on the subject of Leonardo, the Gunners appear to have fallen behind in the race for him.

Rudy Galetti has posted a tweet regarding the current state of play between frontrunners Roma and the player.

Initially, it looks like a boost for Arsenal as Leonardo is apparently not wanting to train as he wants to leave.

However, the teenager “only wants to join Roma,” according to Galetti.

Our view

You can’t help but feel that, if Arsenal were to step in and formalise their interest, they could blow their fellow suitors out of the water.

As per Gazzetta dello Sport (8/8/23, pg 14), via Football Italia, the Italians are pushing ahead with a bid totalling around £15.5million.

Santos reportedly want around £20million for Leonardo, even though he apparently has a £86million release clause.

Arsenal could well step in with £21million, get the club’s approval, and then try a charm offensive to convince him to come to N5.

He’d have Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli, plus Edu, to take him under their wing.

Leonardo is a top talent who has been likened to Sergio Aguero and deemed an ‘extremely dangerous’ forward.

Sadly, the likelihood is that he won’t be in red and white next term, but red and yellow instead.