According to Sky Sports reporter Tim Vickery, Arsenal has shown interest in signing Santos striker Marcos Leonardo during the ongoing transfer window. The Gunners are looking to strengthen their center-forward position and had initially been linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney, who comes with a hefty price tag of £80 million. However, Vickery now reveals that Arsenal is turning their attention to Leonardo.
Vickery describes Leonardo as a 20-year-old striker who excels in operating within confined spaces inside the penalty box. Despite Santos’ relegation, the young forward has been instrumental in scoring goals for his team, often in losing efforts. While his link-up play and overall skills outside the penalty area may still need improvement, his style of play could complement the existing forwards at Arsenal. However, Vickery mentions that there is growing interest from other clubs, including Benfica.
Despite Arsenal’s strоng start tо the seasоn, they suffered unexpecteԀ defeats tо West Ham United and Fulham, creating a gap оf five pоints between them and league leaders Liverpооl. The team struggled tо cоnvert numerоus scоring оppоrtunities in thоse matches, highlighting the need fоr a clinical finisher.
Considering this, the article argues that Leonardo may not be the ideal signing for Arsenal. Although he scored 21 goals for Santos last season, it was a disappointing campaign that resulted in relegation for the club. Toney has already demonstrated his abilities in the top flight, scoring an impressive 20 goals in the previous season. Toney has been training diligently and is expected to be motivated to make an impact upon his return.