"Looked up to Henry when I was younger" - 22-year-old says he likes Arsenal 'a lot' amid interest from Mikel Arteta

PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo has seemingly opened the door on a potential move to Arsenal.

The Gunners have lacked firepower throughout the season, with Alexandre Lacazette only having scored one Premier League goal since December last year. They have been linked with a host of centre-forwards, but Gakpo is a winger the Gunners have been touted with bringing in to add goals from wide.

The 22-year-old has been in fine form this season, having scored nine goals and contributed 13 assists in 21 Eredivisie games. Voetbal international (via Football.London) has reported that Arsenal are in pole position to sign the winger.

Gakpo will have excited Gunners fans with his words of praise for the club, saying last week (via FourFourTwo):

"The Premier League is a big league. Virgil van Dijk plays there with Liverpool so I like to watch them."

Gakpo continued:

"We are not the same kind of league, but I think we try to look at the Prem and learn about it. Everybody wants to play one time in the Prem. I don’t favour one team, but I like Arsenal a lot."

The 22-year-old then discussed the influence Gunners legend Thierry Henry had on him when he was growing up, adding:

"I looked up to Henry when I was younger because he was a tall guy who played on the wing."

The Dutch winger signed a new deal with PSV in January, which would see him at the club till June 2026. However, he has not played down speculation linking him with a move away this summer, saying:

"If I can make a step to a team who plays in the Champions League every season, of course it is my dream. But I still have a contract, and there is a new coach coming in – but maybe there comes a club I cannot say no to."

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Cody Gakpo to replace Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal?

The 26-year-old Pepe has been a disappointment.

To say that Nicolas Pepe has been a failure for Mikel Arteta's team would be an understatement.

Signed for a club-record £72 million fee from Lille in 2019, he was touted as one of Europe's finest wingers. However, the Ivorian has failed to reach expectations at the Emirates Stadium.

He had a remarkable record at Lille, scoring 37 goals and contributing 17 assists in 79 appearances. However, he has come nowhere close to replicating those exploits in north London.

He has dropped down the pecking order at Arsenal, bagging just three goals and five assists in 18 appearances across competitions this season. Perhaps Gakpo could come in to replace Pepe after what has been a disappointing stint for the attacker at the north London side.