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With Arsenal’s Jamie Vardy pursuit put on hold at least until England crash out of the UEFA European Championship — or lift their maiden Euros title — the Gunners have turned their attention to Fulham striker Moussa Dembele, according to ESPN’s unnamed sources.

Dembele’s current contract with the Craven Cottage club expires next month; he has already turned down a contract extension.

With many European giants already queuing up for his signature, Arsenal have joined for his signature. Praveen R. Paramasivam dissects the transfer rumour.

 

Will Dembele fit in at Arsenal?

Despite notching 24 goals in 37 competitive starts last season, Olivier Giroud failed to impress his critics as he also suffered a goalless run of 10 starts and 5 substitute appearances.

One wonders if he could have fared better with the aid of another striker.

Signing an able backup striker is as decisive bringing down a Jamie Vardy or a Daniel Sturridge. However, Dembele could definitely turn out to be more than an able backup having bagged 17 goals in 38 starts for Fulham.

Although Championship’s top players like Patrick Bamford have enjoyed mixed fortunes in the Premier League, Arsenal should snap him up as they can get him for zero pennies.

Besides, with the Football Association modifying their homegrown players rule, signing him could work wonders as he fits the new criteria for a homegrown player.

 

Will Arsenal get their man?

The France international has already attracted interest from Liverpool, Juventus, Galatasaray, and Juventus. In addition, sources close to the player have confirmed that he would fancy a return to his childhood club Paris Saint-Germain.

Arsenal’s local rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur may also hamper their chances of landing their target as the former have already been on the verge of signing him, in January whilst the latter subtly underlined their desire to sign him last April by inviting him to watch a league game against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

Despite interest from clubs that can promise more silverware and the ones that can definitely offer more playing time than Arsenal can, they may have the upper hand as they no other interested party may tender Champions League football as well the promise of first-team football.

Their history of developing world-class players and their readiness to make teenagers first-team regulars should suffice to make him an Arsenal player.

 

What will his arrival mean to Arsenal’s strikers?

Giroud’s place will not be challenged unless someone along the lines of Vardy comes to N5.

However, the future of Chuba Akpom and Yaya Sanogo will be under serious threat, and the latter will definitely be on his way out of the club whilst the former may get another chance to prove himself at a Championship club.

If he manages to impress in the limited time on the pitch as Alex Iwobi did, he may even proceed to leapfrog Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck in the pecking order.

 

Written by Praveen Paramasivam

Follow Praveen on Twitter @49Praveen

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