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Nigerian forward Paul Onuachu has revealed that he is a fan of Premier League giants Arsenal. Onuachu, who currently plies his trade for KRC Genk, has been linked to the Gunners in recent weeks.
The 27-year-old netted 35 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions for the Belgian club, while also recording five assists. Onuachu was announced as Genk's Player of the Year at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. His performances saw him draw the attention of several clubs including West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
The Nigerian, who has a contract with Genk until 2024, has scored 57 goals in 87 appearances for the club so far. Onuachu has also made 15 appearances for his national team and has netted three goals.
Prior to joining Genk in 2019, the 27-year-old spent four years at Midtjylland. During his time with the Danish club, Onuachu scored 74 goals and provided 23 assists in 183 matches.
He recently responded to rumors of a move to Arsenal by suggesting he was a fan of the Gunners. Onuachu was quoted as saying by Voetbal Nieuws (via Mirror):
“I really like Arsenal. [Emmanuel] Adebayor, one of the players I admired most, played there. I really was a fan of him, including [Nwankwo] Kanu. I really love watching Arsenal too.”
Prior to that, Onuachu's agent also spoke about the rumored Arsenal links to Own Goal Nigeria. He said:
“It will be nice if Arsenal want him as he is a boyhood fan of the team.”
It remains to be seen if the Gunners will reciprocate the interest and sign him in one of the upcoming transfer windows.
Arsenal also have Luka Jovic and Andrea Belotti on their shortlist
Arsenal look set to lose Alexandre Lacazette on a free transfer, with the Frenchman's contract set to expire next summer. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also not growing any younger, they will target strikers who are in and around their prime.
Torino forward Andrea Belotti is one of the names on the Gunners' wishlist. Belotti is likely to depart his current club on a free transfer next summer after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The Italian has scored 107 goals in 235 matches since joining the Turin outfit in 2015.
The other name on Arsenal's list is Real Madrid forward Luka Jovic. Jovic has struggled since signing for Los Blancos in 2019. The Serbian has made 39 appearances for the club but has scored just two goals so far. Arsenal could make a loan offer for Jovic which would include an obligation to buy.
The Gunners will face hurdles in their bid to sign either player. Belotti, 27, is said to be in favor of a move to AC Milan, with Inter Milan also in the mix. On the other hand, Real Madrid could deny a loan deal and instead demand a massive fee for Jovic, who is still just 23.
