Arteta 'in pain' after Arsenal miss out on Champions League
Arsenal could go against club icon Tomas Rosicky by pursuing a deal for Sparta Prague striker Adam Hlozek this summer. The Gunners have been touted to turn to Hlozek if they fail to tie Eddie Nketiah down to a new contract. But Rosicky, Sparta's sporting director, has already publicly disapproved of his potential exit at this stage of his career.
Nketiah started Arsenal's final seven games of the season, scoring five goals, but played a bit-part for most of the campaign and has often stated his desire for regular minutes. He has seemed set to leave the Emirates Stadium on a free transfer once his contract expires in June, but Mikel Arteta's recent show of faith has given the club hope he will commit his future, The Athletic report.
If the 22-year-old decides to call time on his Arsenal career, though, Arteta is expected to turn to Hlozek to accommodate the role of backup striker next season. The Gunners are searching for a goalscorer 'early in their development' if Nketiah snubs a new deal and are understood to be 'strong admirers' of the Czech Republic international.
However, Rosicky believes it would be too early for Hlozek to make a big move away from Sparta, given he is still only 19. The ex-Arsenal midfielder added that he doesn't expect him to depart, describing a potential switch to elsewhere in Europe as 'too soon' for the striker.
Arsenal are being linked with Adam Hlozek. (Image: GETTY)
He told iSport: "I think it's early for him to go somewhere. Let's be patient; let him grow up. He is 17, and if he continues to grow, he will not miss out on moving abroad. If something happens, which I don't expect, it will be too soon for him."
Since coming through the Sparta academy, Hlozek has debuted as a 16-year-old and already made over 100 appearances for the club. He also netted his first goal for the Czech Republic national team against Belarus last October, earning 12 caps in total.
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Tomas Rosicky is Sparta Prague's sporting director. (Image: GETTY)
A new striker is understood to be a priority for Arteta this summer as Alexandre Lacazette also prepares to depart as a free agent. Nketiah and Lacazette's exits would follow former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who terminated his contract to join Barcelona in January.
Arsenal are set to recruit a starting striker and back-up option, with Hlozek likely filling the role of the latter. Alexander Isak, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Victor Osimhen, Lautaro Martinez, Tammy Abraham and Gianluca Scamacca have also been most recently linked as the Gunners' marquee buy.
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