Arsenal make enquiry to sign £29m Bundesliga striker as cheaper Isak alternative

Arsenal have made enquiries over a possible move for Mohamed Amoura in the summer.

Amoura, 24, is enjoying an excellent campaign in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg having racked up ten goals and eight assists in his opening 24 appearances for the club under former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Despite missing the start of the season with a knee injury, only Michael Olise, Omar Marmoush and Florian Wirtz have registered more assists than Amoura with seven matches remaining in the German top flight this term.

While Amoura joined on a season-long deal from Belgian outfit Union SG, Wolfsburg have an option to sign the diminutive forward outright for a fee of €14.5million (£12m).

But Amoura’s eye-catching performances have not gone unnoticed amongst Europe’s elite, with a host of heavyweight teams keeping close tabs on the Algeria international.

According to French publication L’Equipe, Amoura finds himself of the shortlist of Arsenal, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest – and all three Champions League-chasing sides have made contact over a proposed summer bid.

Reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen have also been credited with a strong interest in Amoura in recent weeks.

The report suggests Amoura would be available for a fee in the region of €35-€40m (£29-33.5m) when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Arsenal have once again dropped off in this year’s title race – after finishing as runners-up in back-to-back seasons the Premier League – and the club’s struggles over the winter period have largely been put down to Mikel Arteta’s lack of firepower in attack.

There had already been pressure on the Gunners to strengthen up front last summer and season-ending injuries to both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have only intensified these calls amongst the fanbase.

Several high-profile strikers were linked with moves to the Emirates in January, from Victor Osimhen to Alvaro Morata, while the north Londoners also had a bid rejected for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Arteta admitted he and the club’s hierarchy were ‘disappointed’ by their failure to bring anyone as the transfer deadline came and went without any additions being made.

‘We had a clear intention which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad,’ the Arsenal head coach said.

‘With players with injuries, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it.

‘We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well.

‘When you try your best and do things, you see the people and we share the same intentions, when you don’t achieve it okay, for sure there are things to learn from it.

‘But you have to move on and that is a piece that was important in the moment, but now we’ve moved on.’

‘It’s in the profile, a player that can make us better. Financially there is a lot of ways, a lot of things that we must stay.’

Alexander Isak is believed to be Arteta’s primary attacking target, though Arsenal are likely to be priced out of a move after Newcastle slapped an eye-watering £160m valuation on the Swedish sensation.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is another player of interest and would be a far cheaper alternative to Isak, with the Frenchman valued at around £60m.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

MORE: Manchester United believe they have key advantage in Liam Delap transfer race

MORE: Arsenal sent transfer warning after ‘holding talks’ to sign former Man City star

MORE: Pain for Arsenal as Man Utd star backed to become ‘one of the best in the world’