Arsenal have joined the race to sign Amiens striker Serhou Guirassy this summer and will not be put off by the Frenchman’s £15m price tag, according to The Daily Mail.
The 24-year-old is reportedly also a target of West Ham United and Bournemouth, but Arsenal’s pursuit stretches all the way back to 2016.
Arsene Wenger wanted to sign Guirassy while he was on loan at second-division Auxerre four years ago, according to ESPN FC .
Now a considerably more established player in European football, signing Guirassy would be much less of a gamble for the Gunners. Here’s an in-depth look at the centre-forward.
Profile
Guirassy came through the youth system at Stade Laval, scoring six goals in 33 appearances for the senior side before earning a £1m transfer to Lille in 2015.
He only managed eight appearances before moving to FC Koln in Germany, where he spent three years. Guirassy was plagued with injuries in the early days, and he never really recovered to become a regular.
However, the striker’s career belatedly got underway during a six-month loan at Amiens, and he then joined the club permanently last summer following their promotion to the top flight.
He scored four times in 12 league games this season as Amiens found themselves relegated in 19th when Ligue Un was frozen.
What he would bring to Arsenal
The 6ft 2in forward is known primarily for his aerial prowess, which makes him an unusual choice for Mikel Arteta, especially given Arsenal are already well-stocked with strikers.
It is perhaps hard to see how Guirassy could break into the side ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, and Gabriel Martinelli, although the Frenchman isn’t too dissimilar from Aubameyang in terms of playing style.
Guirassy is a quick forward who makes intelligent runs off the shoulder of the last defender, his stride and finishing style is as powerful as the Gabon international’s.
He is also comfortable playing on the wing, and Arteta certainly likes his forwards to frequently swap positions. Versatility is important and Guirassy fits the bill in that regard.
He wins 4.2 aerial duels per game, per WhoScored.com, the tenth most in Ligue Un, which reflects not only his heading ability but the direct style of Amiens’ football.
Consequently the 24-year-old will need to adapt his game significantly to get used to Arteta’s possession football at the Emirates. He does at least appear to have the technical ability, first touch and link-play needed to operate in Arteta’s system.
Amiens will need the money following their relegation, which suggests Guirassy could be available in a cut-price deal. If so, then he would make a valuable back-up option for Arsenal.
