Arsenal plotting £100m move for Premier League striker in 2024: Reports

Premier League giants Arsenal are looking to sign Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson in 2024, as per FootballTransfers.

Ferguson, 18, is one of the most sought-after young forwards in the English top flight after a breakout 2022-23 season. The Irishman, valued at a whopping £100 million by Brighton, bagged 10 goals and three assists in 25 games across competitions.

That includes six goals and two assists in nine league games as the Sea Gulls finished a laudable sixth.

The young striker's exploits have attracted the attention of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, but the Gunners appear to be the frontrunners for his signature. Arsenal wish to have options up front as back-up and to complement the injury-prone Gabriel Jesus, who has missed 20 games since his arrival last summer.

Considering that he's contracted with Brighton till 2028, Ferguson is expected to have a massive price tag. After selling midfielder Moises Caicedo for a British record £115 million to Chelsea this summer, Brighton could make another big-money sale next summer if Ferguson continues his exploits from last season.

The 18-year-old has scored once in two league games this season, with that strike coming in the 4-1 opening-day win at home to newly promoted Luton Town.

The Seagulls are the surprise leaders after two matchdays, ahead of three-time defending champions Manchester City on goal difference.

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What Arsenal boss said about not starting Gabriel Magalhaes in Nottingham Forest win

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal have made a good start to their 2023-24 season. They beat Manchester City (on penalties) to win the Community Shield before beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 in their league opener last weekend.

However, in the win over Forest, defender Gabriel Magalhaes was conspicuous by his absence from the starting lineup, only coming on for the last four minutes. Manager Mikel Arteta attributed the Brazilian's absence due to tactical reasons and said (via Football.London):

"We expected a game that actually happened, and we needed somebody else there in midfield to do what we have to do the best, and have more fluidity and occupy certain spaces in relation to how they were defending. I think it worked really well."

Gabriel is contracted with Arsenal till 2027, having arrived from Lille in 2020 for £20 million. Since then, the 25-year-old centre-back has bagged an impressive 11 goals and an assist in 120 games across competitions.