Arsenal move ‘the minimum’ for Dutch winger with 20 goal involvements this season
A move to Arsenal is reportedly the ‘minimum’ for Club Brugge star Noa Lang this summer, with the winger almost certain to quit the Belgian club.
The 22-year-old has already revealed his intention to move on, with Brugge ready to ‘cash in’, according to Het Belang van Limburg back in January. De Standaard then reported that Lang’s exit is a ‘forgone conclusion’, with a switch to the Gunners the ‘minimum’ requirement.
Lang has scored eight goals and added 12 assists in all competitions so far this season, with Brugge club legend Gert Verheyen discussing the player’s future.
The former Belgium international believes that the attacker will not look at a mid-table English club if he does leave.
“It is difficult to predict whether he will also achieve the very highest – which he aspires to. He will not dream of clubs like Brighton. But the question is whether clubs like Arsenal or Tottenham will come this summer,” Verheyen told Het Nieuwsblad.
Jeunes Footeux, meanwhile, states that the Gunners are still ‘keeping an eye on Noa Lang’.
The report adds that Lang is also being ‘closely watched’ by Leicester, although Arsenal have been monitoring him for ‘several months’.
Brugge are expecting to fetch a fee of around €35-40m if Lang does indeed move on this summer.
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Arsenal urged to move for City attacker
Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand has advised Arsenal to try and sign Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City as they look for a long-term replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gunners let Aubameyang leave on a free transfer in January, allowing him to eventually join Barcelona after he was stripped of the captaincy following a disciplinary breach at The Emirates.
Letting 92 goals in 163 appearances walk out of the door for nothing surprised many, particularly given that Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah can also leave on free transfers when their contracts run out at the end of the season.
If that happens, Arsenal will be left without a senior striker. But Ferdinand believes Jesus could help fill that void.
“If I was Arsenal, I would go and buy Gabriel Jesus,” the Manchester United legend told his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel during a chat with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Brazilian has scored six goals and added nine assists this season, while he has 131 goal involvements in 222 appearances for City.
Jesus was expected to play a major role after City allowed record scorer Sergio Aguero to leave last summer.
However, that has not proved to be the case and with Julian Alvarez arriving in the summer, Jesus’ days at City may be numbered.
The 24-year-old will soon have only a year left on his contract, with Inter Milan also lurking.
Jesus contract situation not so clear
And Romano has given an update on the player’s future.
He said: “At the moment I’m told there’s no talks for Gabriel Jesus because [Inter] can’t bid for €60million (£50m) or €50million (£41m) so we’re just talking about ideas and rumours.
“But I’m sure that Gabriel Jesus’ situation, alongside of Raheem Sterling’s situation, is something that needs to be clarified in the coming months for Manchester City. They’re both out of contract in 2023.
“For Gabriel Jesus, they need to discuss internally and see what they want to do. With a new striker joining Manchester City in the summer, I’m not sure that the position of Gabriel Jesus will be so clear.”
City forked out £27million to sign Jesus from Palmeiras in January 2017. His last appearance for the club was in the FA Cup win over Peterborough in midweek.
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