The Gunners could be set to hijack a rival’s deal.

Arsenal could make their interest in one star striker a reality, waiting until the last moment to hijack the move from a rival…

Who are Arsenal signing this summer?

Whilst Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a swoop for Montpellier’s Elye Wahi more recently, the Gunners actually hold a longstanding interest of their own in the marksman who has been tearing up French football of late.

With Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz having already been welcomed into the fold, Edu has shown he is not afraid to spend big to give Mikel Arteta the strongest squad possible for the new season.

Especially given the €40m (£34m) touted price tag, which would likely hamper the Lilywhites far more than it would their rivals.

Perhaps in hijacking this Spurs swoop, it could emulate their move from 2021, when they too stole Martin Odegaard from their clutches, to great success.

How good is Elye Wahi?

During that January, as chances at Real Madrid had been limited for the Norwegian maestro, he sought game time out on loan, demanding he be allowed to explore his options.

Two interested parties that arose both came from north London, and yet it was Arsenal who eventually captured his signature.

Reports emerged from Norway suggested that after speaking to Arteta, the decision became easy. He rejected the Lilywhites, and the rest is history.

He would move to the Emirates permanently the next summer and has since announced himself as one of the Premier League’s leading creative forces from midfield.

As such, he improves with each passing season too, as his 15 goals and eight assists from last campaign mark an upgrade on his first full year since making his full-time switch, where he only posted 11 goal contributions.

His 7.35 average match rating from the most recent term even made him the division’s sixth-best performer, as per Sofascore, as he has truly flourished in his role as captain.

Now, should Edu snatch another target from their rivals, Wahi could have a similarly transformative effect up front, adding some much-needed proficiency and a different dynamic to play off.

The 20-year-old would score an outstanding 19 goals in Ligue 1 alongside six assists, building upon his ten-goal haul from the season prior. His most recent exploits also saw the Frenchman maintain a 30% goal conversion rate, which is a marked upgrade on the 14% Gabriel Jesus recorded in the Premier League.

Whilst likely not a wholesale replacement for the Brazilian, his direct play style matched with his pace and power would make him a unique asset for Arteta, allowing him to switch up his philosophy should it be failing.

Such a new dimension could unlock a whole new type of goal for his side to score, as ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo outlined those key assets: “He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next”.

Whilst not a move the Gunners need to make, they could still once again leave their rivals looking foolish by snagging a deal from right under their noses.

Should he prove half as successful as Odegaard has, it would be worth every penny.