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Report: Arsenal in mix for La Liga winner; Messi called him ‘magical’

Lee Connor

Sun 14 November 2021 12:53, UK

Arsenal are still among the clubs keen on bringing in Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic in January, with the Serbian expected to depart the Bernabeu.

Jovic has struggled massively since arriving in Madrid. The Spanish side paid over £50m for the young forward after his blistering form for Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the goals and performances have not flowed at all.

This season, he has yet to score in just seven sporadic appearances. In fact, Jovic has netted just twice in games for Real overall.

Reports last weekend suggested that Jovic is now actively pushing to exit Madrid in January. And now have reported that Arsenal, along with some other clubs in Europe, are monitoring Jovic’s situation.

The Gunners are seeking a new attacking option at the moment. They have been linked with Jovic’s Serbian teammate, Dusan Vlahovic. However, that would be a huge cash splurge in the winter window.

A loan move for Jovic, then, is likely to represent a more realistic deal for the Gunners to pursue.

Jovic is certainly a talented player. Back in 2020, Lionel Messi the striker as ‘magical’ when assessing some of Europe’s top young talents.

TBR’s View: Jovic a good short-term option for Arsenal

Unlike Vlahovic, Jovic is unlikely to break the bank for the Gunners. Yes, he is on big wages in Madrid. But that could be supplemented by not having to pay a huge transfer fee out.

Jovic is a player who’s just lost his way a bit in recent seasons. But his goals at Frankfurt show he’s got something in the locker. It would just be a case of whether Mikel Arteta could unlock that potential.

With Aubameyang off to the AFCON in January, landing Jovic might be a smart play for the Gunners. But anything longer than that, is a high-risk move from Edu and co.