Lazio forward Joaquin Correa has reportedly asked to leave the club this summer amidst interest from Arsenal.
The Argentine, 26, scored eight goals and supplied four assists in 28 league appearances during the 2020-21 campaign to help Lazio finish sixth in the Serie A table. After starring for Lazio, he was a part of Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina side that lifted the Copa America by beating Brazil in the final in July.
According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport (h/t Sport Witness), Arsenal offered €20m for Joaquin Correa earlier this summer but were told by Lazio that the figure was inadequate to secure his signature.
Correa, who has been linked with moves away to Everton and Leicester City, still has three years left on his contract, which certainly places I Biancocelesti in a strong position to negotiate. They value the Argentinean attacker in the region of €30m. (h/t Sport Witness)
Joaquin Correa to Arsenal—Is the Lazio forward a good option for Mikel Arteta’s team?
Arsenal have been busy making moves in the transfer market after an underwhelming last campaign that saw them miss out on European football for the first time in 25 years.
Despite that, the Gunners have continued placing their faith in Mikel Arteta, hoping that he’ll turn things around and get the club back to challenging for a top-four spot, at least. Arteta has bolstered his squad with the additions of Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Ben White so far, but certainly remain keen for more.
The north London giants lacked a real goal-scoring venom last season, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being a shadow of his former self and Alexandre Lacazette having struggled for consistency. The duo of Aubameyang and Lacazette combined to score only 23 league goals, thus, highlighting Arsenal’s primary need for signing a goal-scoring forward in this transfer window.
That being said, Joaquin Correa could be a good fit under Arteta at the Emirates Stadium. A technically gifted and tactically versatile player, Correa can play anywhere along the front-line and provide headaches for the opposition. He excels highly playing as a secondary striker, as it enables him to link play, stretch defences and create opportunities for his teammates.
The Argentinean international’s movement on and off the ball is excellent, allowing his fellow forwards to exploit the spaces behind a backline. The former Sevilla man is blessed with a great engine and an abundance of pace that lets him press constantly for large parts of a game. He would undoubtedly improve Arsenal’s attacking options, whilst being a huge upgrade on the ageing Willian.
Correa’s record of 30 goals and 18 assists in 117 appearances for Lazio in all competitions is impressive. At 26, the jet-heeled forward will only get better over the next few seasons and could prove to be a smart addition to the Arsenal squad.