Arsenal lead race for 21yo Euro 2024 winger | OneFootball

Reports from Belgium suggest Arsenal are leading the race for Johan Bakayoko, but not all are convinced the Gunners have made a concrete move for the winger.

PSV Eindhoven’s Johan Bakayoko runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group B football match between Arsenal and PSV Eindhoven at the Arsenal Stadium in north London on September 20, 2023. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

On Tuesday morning, a couple of reports from Belgium suggested Arsenal are seriously in the race for PSV winger Johan Bakayoko this summer.

Romain Van der Pluym reported for DH Les Sports that Arsenal are leading the race for Bakayoko, with no suggestion of an agreement but the situation moving in the right direction.

Van der Pluym wrote that Mikel Arteta is viewed as a coach with the qualities to take Bakayoko to the next level, whilst the player himself is seen as someone capable of competing with Bukayo Saka for a spot on the right wing.

PSV’s Johan Bakayoko celebrates after scoring his fourth goal during the Dutch Eredivisie football match between PSV Eindhoven and Vitesse Arnhem at the Phillips stadium, in Eindhoven, on April 13, 2024. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

Gazet van Antwerpen (via Sport Witness) wrote in their Tuesday publication that whilst Bakayoko has been linked with Liverpool and Bayern Munich, Arsenal are the “most concrete” club in the race at the moment.

Again, the report confirms that there’s no deal agreed, but Gazet van Antwerpen suggest the case could evolve positively.

According to the claims, PSV will want €45m (£38m) to sanction Bakayoko’s sale this summer, and a deal would have to wait until after his participation at Euro 2024 with Belgium.

EINDHOVEN, NETHERLANDS: Johan Bakayoko of PSV in action during the UEFA Champions League match between PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal FC at Philips Stadion on December 12, 2023. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Yet Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri claims that there hasn’t been any contact between Bakayoko and Arsenal are this stage. A move is expected this summer, but it’s too early to say where.

As mentioned, Bakayoko is at Euro 2024, coming off the bench in Belgium’s opening game against Slovakia before watching on as the team beat Romania in their second match.

The 21-year-old will hope for his first start at the tournament in the coming games, with Belgium facing Ukraine next at 17:00 BST on Wednesday, June 26th.

Bakayoko scored 14 goals and assisted a further 14 in 48 games for PSV last season, and he caught the eye in their Champions League group stage clash with Arsenal in Eindhoven.