£85m Arsenal target addresses future in huge blow to Mikel Arteta as agent confirms Gunners interest

By Lewis Blain | 11 Aug 2026 07:16, Last updated: 11 Aug 2026 07:20

Arsenal person been handed a imaginable setback successful their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane.

The 20-year-old has emerged arsenic a people for Mikel Arteta aft impressing against the Gunners successful the Champions League past season.

However, Kofane has present addressed his aboriginal and made it wide that helium is successful nary unreserved to permission Germany, contempt his cause confirming Arsenal's interest.

Christian Kofane speaks astir his aboriginal amid Arsenal interest

Arsenal's involvement successful Kofane is genuine, with his cause Eric Depolo antecedently confirming that the Gunners person been successful interaction regarding a imaginable move.

Depolo adjacent suggested Arsenal could beryllium successful rod presumption for the striker, pointing to Kofane's Spanish-speaking ability, Arteta's power and William Saliba's Cameroonian practice arsenic imaginable factors.

"Yes, Arsenal’s involvement is genuine," Depolo told Daily Arsenal (via the Evening Standard). "The manager [Mikel Arteta] likes him precise much."

The cause besides claimed Kofane could bid a €100 cardinal (£85 million) interest and described him arsenic a imaginable semipermanent solution successful onslaught for Arsenal.

However, Kofane himself has present struck a considerably much relaxed code erstwhile discussing the anticipation of moving to the Premier League.

The striker admitted that helium tin ideate playing successful England 1 day, but stressed that his contiguous absorption remains connected processing astatine Leverkusen.

"I tin surely ideate it, yes. It’s 1 of the champion leagues successful the world," Kofane told Kicker. "But I privation to instrumentality it measurement by step. I’m young and inactive person large plans with Bayer Leverkusen.

"Bayer Leverkusen a large nine that has fixed maine a large accidental and a batch of confidence. I consciousness precise comfy here."

A stroke for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal?

Kofane's comments are not a definitive rejection of Arsenal, but they surely correspond a stroke if the Gunners were hoping his penchant would beryllium to marque a determination this summer.

His agent's comments suggest Arsenal person already established interaction and respect the striker considerably, yet Kofane appears perfectly blessed to proceed his improvement astatine Leverkusen alternatively than unit a transfer.

That is understandable for a 20-year-old who has lone precocious established himself astatine the highest level. A determination for £85 cardinal would besides correspond an tremendous committedness from Arsenal, peculiarly aft they refused to conscionable Aston Villa's £117 cardinal valuation of Morgan Rogers.

For Arteta, though, the bigger interest is that Arsenal cannot spend to walk excessively agelong waiting for 1 target.

The Gunners person already missed retired connected Rogers, portion their pursuit of Vinicius Junior has besides failed to nutrient the marquee attacking signing they wanted. Kofane is an breathtaking enactment with immense potential, but his latest comments suggest Arsenal whitethorn request to crook their attraction towards much attainable attack-minded targets.

If Kofane is genuinely valued astatine that figure, past Arsenal volition request acold much encouragement from the subordinate earlier committing that level of investment. For now, Leverkusen remains wherever the striker wants to be.