'The Arsenal one got out': £67m striker suggests he really did have chance to sign for the Gunners

By Sam Preston

Arsenal are apparently going to scout Roma striker Tammy Abraham when he returns to England to face Leicester City tonight.

Jose Mourinho’s Serie A outfit are facing the Foxes in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final at the King Power Stadium tonight.

Abraham was linked with the Gunners in the summer, and with the striker situation still unclear at the Emirates Stadium, it seems Mikel Arteta is still interested.

Abraham has given an interview with Alan Shearer in the Athletic where he discussed the Arsenal links, and says other clubs were also keen on him before he moved to Italy.

“I wanted to be in the Premier League. I felt like I had a point to prove again and I wanted to do well, to go away in England and prove Chelsea wrong about not playing me and as a young lad trying to move countries is never easy, especially to a league I wasn’t really familiar with.”

“Yeah, I had a few (opportunities). The Arsenal one got out and there were other clubs as well, but it’s never black and white and just speaking to Mourinho and Roma and the sporting director, they had an ambition and an aim.

“They wanted the club to reach certain targets, they hadn’t won a trophy for a while and they hadn’t done as well in the league as they would have wanted.

“It was about seeing a vision and… how can I put it? It’s just like what Newcastle are doing: building again. I could see where Mourinho wanted me to be and he believed in me. This was the best place for me. Thank God I’ve done it.”

Can Arsenal lure Abraham back to England?

Abraham’s move to Roma has seen him reignite his career and Football.London claim he now has a price tag of £67 million ahead of the summer.

That is a huge amount for Arsenal and they would surely only have a chance of getting to that fee if they are in next season’s Champions League.

The Conference League represents a shot at silverware for Abraham and Roma, but that is not the competition the club wants to play in long term.

They currently sit in the Europa League spot in Serie A, eight points back from Juventus in fourth, so if Arsenal could make the Champions League, that could give them the edge.

For now, Abraham will be focused on finding the net upon his return to his native country and firing Roma into a European final.