Arsenal in ‘pole position’ for £52m striker after agent confirms Arteta talks

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Arsenal are in ‘pole position’ to sign Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane this summer, according to the player’s agent, who has confirmed that Mikel Arteta ‘likes him very much’.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding debut season in the Bundesliga after joining Leverkusen from Albacete for just €5 million last summer. Despite not being a regular starter under Kasper Hjulmand, Kofane has registered seven goals and eight assists in 37 appearances.

Arsenal supporters will remember the imposing centre-forward from Leverkusen’s Champions League last-16 tie against the Gunners, where he more than held his own against Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. David Raya was forced into a stunning late save to deny the teenager at the Emirates.

Agent confirms Arsenal interest

Speaking to Daily Arsenal, Kofane’s representative Eric Depolo confirmed the club’s genuine interest in his client.

‘Yes, Arsenal’s interest is genuine,’ Depolo said. ‘The manager [Mikel Arteta] likes him very much.’

The agent revealed that several top clubs are monitoring the Cameroon international, including Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, Brentford, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. However, he believes Arsenal hold a significant advantage in any potential pursuit.

‘Due to the fact that the player speaks Spanish, like Mikel Arteta, and that William Saliba is originally from Cameroon, I would say Arsenal are in pole position,’ Depolo explained.

Leverkusen set €60-70m asking price

Sky Germany reported this week that Leverkusen would be tempted to sell should they receive an offer between €60-70 million (£52m-61m) for the teenager. The asking price represents a significant markup on their initial €5 million investment.

Depolo is confident his client represents excellent value, describing him as a ‘€100 million player’ who would give Arsenal ‘a top striker for the next ten years’.

‘Right now, he is the best Under-21 striker in Europe and the most complete one,’ the agent claimed. ‘He has speed, technique, defends very well and is strong in the air. It is very difficult to find all these attributes in one striker.’

The 6ft 2in forward’s current contract runs until summer 2026, giving Leverkusen a strong negotiating position. However, with Arsenal focusing on their title challenge, any serious discussions are likely to commence after the season concludes.

Hjulmand has been full of praise for Kofane’s development, highlighting the player’s willingness to learn and improve. The Danish coach believes the teenager has a ‘great future’ in the game, praising his personality both in training and on matchdays.

Arsenal’s reported interest comes as the club continues to seek long-term solutions in attack, with Kofane’s combination of physicality, technical ability and potential fitting the profile of player Arteta typically targets.