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Arsenal have begun talks in a bid to sign 16-year-old Hammarby forward Emil Roback.
The Swedish club’s director of football Jesper Jansson confirmed the Gunners’ interest, but he added there are a number of other clubs pursuing the youngster, including Bayern Munich, per Fotboll Direkt (h/t Metro):
“We were contacted and know about the interest [from Bayern]. He has also met Arsenal. There’s a strong interest, and there are more clubs as well. He’s also been to Arsenal. Yes, I understand the interest. He is a forward with a great physique and speed and already a skilled goalscorer.”
Additionally, Hammarby scout Mikael Hjelmberg described Roback as having “extreme speed and is a natural goalscorer.”
Roback’s reputation as one of Hammarby’s most promising players means he would be an exciting signing for the Gunners.
However, the prospect of going head to head with Bayern is a daunting one.
Arsenal have enjoyed an upturn in form since Mikel Arteta was appointed as Unai Emery’s permanent successor in December.
Before the Premier League was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Gunners were on a run of eight games unbeaten, which had moved them up to ninth in the table:
Premier League @premierleague
How the table looks ahead of the weekend… https://t.co/Npke6wZ3c4
Their prospects of playing any European football next season, let alone in the UEFA Champions League, remain slim, though.
Bayern, meanwhile, are top of the Bundesliga and are one of the favourites to win the Champions League this term after they thrashed Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in their last-16 first leg last month:
B/R Football @brfootball
Bayern Munich are just the third team in history to win their first seven Champions League games of a season ? https://t.co/7QbguvPl4o
For Roback, a Sweden under-17 international, joining the German giants may be a more attractive prospect than a move to a club in the Premier League’s mid-table.
As such, Arsenal will need to make an attractive offer to the teenager, and they potentially have an edge over Bayern in that they can likely promise Roback a faster route to the senior side.
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