Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to rival each other in a battle to land teenage striker Yann Karamoh
According to a report by The Sun, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to join the race to sign Caen striker Yann Karamoh, who is being dubbed as one of the most exciting young talents in Europe. It is understood that the French club are expecting a transfer fee in the range of £9 million – a figure that shouldn’t be too hard to muster.
Inter Milan were believed to be the front-runners in landing the player since some reports suggest that they have already agreed to personal terms and that Karamoh prefers a move to Italy this summer. That being said, the situation can change now with Arsenal and Tottenham making their interest quite evident.
Karamoh is an exceptionally talented striker, and his performances make it hard to believe that it was only his first season in the top flight. He made 35 appearances and scored five goals, while also bagging four assists. He has represented the French national side at different levels from U-16 to the U-21s, making 21 appearances in total.
He has been a revelation for the French squad and it is believed that the club are willing to cash in on their brightest prospect this summer. Karamoh hasn’t signed a new contract yet and, with just 12 months left on his existing deal, an exit from the club seems highly likely.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been scanning the market for a high-quality striker this summer. Although they were heavily rumoured to sign French sensation Kylian Mbappe, a deal did not go through. Instead, they signed Alexandre Lacazatte from Lyon, but signing Karamoh as well can provide Wenger with options aplenty.
In fact, comparisons are often drawn between Karamoh and Mbappe. Unlike Mbappe, Karamoh’s exploits weren’t as well-known since he is from a relatively smaller club. But that does not undermine Karamoh’s skills because the 19-year-old seems to be as proficient in front of the goal as Mbappe.
Interestingly, Karamoh can also play on the right wing or through the centre, much like Mbappe. This should come as good news to Wenger since prying Mbappe out of Monaco’s grasp did seem like quite an ordeal.
On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur are yet to bag any first-team signings so far and the pressure is mounting on manager Mauricio Pochettino. While they are being linked with Ross Barkley and Riyad Mahrez, Pochettino can turn to Karamoh instead.
Karamoh is as good as Mbappe, if not better, and is still very young. That will allow Pochettino to shape the player and work on improving his skills as he has done for several other players before. However, the Spurs do not need a new striker what with the likes of Harry Kane, Vincent Janssen and Son Heung-min.
The youngster could struggle to get regular playing time if he moves to Spurs. However, an Arsenal move can benefit the player better since Wenger is truly in need of signing quality strikers despite having Lacazette in his team.
