Possible transfer targets from the first round of Euro 2020 fixtures
Three possible Arsenal summer transfer targets from the first round of Euro 2020 group fixtures
By Jack Lacey-Hatton
Euro 2020, as with every international summer tournament, is the shop window for those players looking for a transfer.
As a result Arsenal’s recruitment team will be keeping a close eye on any potential signings throughout the competition.
A few have been on the shortlist of potential additions for a while now, but the European Championships could make or break any deal.
If the player in question does well, his value will rise. A string of disappointing performances however could give the buying club cold feet.
Now we have seen every nation at least once, who might Arsenal be looking to sign this summer?
Karol Linetty
The Polish midfielder may have ended up on the losing side in his country’s opening game, but expect him to grow as the tournament progresses.
Despite Poland eventually going down 2-1 against Slovakia, Linetty showed why he is becoming a crucial player for his national team.
He was one of the few players to impress in a struggling Torino team last season, and once again showed his all-action style throughout the group E encounter.
The 26 year-old topped off a fine individual performance with a goal, and continued to battle hard even after his team was reduced to ten men, when fellow midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak was sent off.
While he is known as a regular goalscorer, he would bring high energy levels to the Arsenal engine room, something that was severely lacking last season.
It shouldn’t take a hefty fee to lure Torino into a deal, meaning Linetty could be one of the bargains of the summer.
He is equally comfortable screening a back four, or playing as a box-to-box central midfielder, a role he was deployed in for Poland’s first group match.
Pau Torres
They are far from the only club who would be interested in signing the Spanish centre-half, but Arsenal will still be keeping tabs on Torres throughout the Euros.
The Villarreal defender partnered Aymeric Laporte in Spain’s opening game, a goalless draw with Sweden.
Although Spain dominated possession and territory for much of the game, Torres still looked calm and composed on the ball.
He showed glimpses of why the Gunners, and other English clubs including Manchester United, are so keen on bringing him to the Premier League.
He never looked like he was under any danger from Sweden’s forwards when receiving the ball, as Spain built up possession from the base. In the first half alone he completed 61 passes, more than the entire Swedish team, giving some idea of how careful he is with the ball.
With Sergio Ramos no longer in the Spain set-up, Torres had big shoes to fill, but the 24-year-old put in a commanding display for his major tournament bow.
He has been on the radar of Edu and the recruitment team throughout this year, but starring at a major Championship will only alert other suitors and make striking a deal that bit more difficult.
Denzel Dumfries
The Dutch full-back capped a wonderful display in the Netherlands' 3-2 win over Ukraine by heading in the winning goal.
Deployed as a wing-back by manager Frank De Boer, it wasn’t simply Dumfries’ match-winning moment that caught the eye. The defender offered superb attacking support down the right channel throughout the Group C clash.
Whilst Hector Bellerin is still under contract at the club, his future at the Emirates is far from certain, meaning a new addition at right-back could be imperative to Arsenal’s summer recruitment.
The PSV Eindhoven star has previously been linked with a move to the Premier League, with both Everton and Newcastle United scouts paying close attention to his form.
He looked a genuine threat with the ball throughout, and was prepared to take risks by running directly at Ukrainian left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko at every opportunity.
The fact he still managed to cause the opposition problems, despite Ukraine also deploying star man Oleksandr Zinchenko down that side, speaks volumes of the 25-year-old's impressive display.
Dumfries even took home the UEFA ‘Star of the Match’ award, for his energetic performance.
Speculation of a move to Everton has only intensified since his excellent start to the tournament.
But if Edu and co decide he is the long-term replacement for Bellerin, they should be able to compete with the Merseyside club financially.
Dumfries has also already expressed a desire to play away from his native Netherlands during his career, and with PSV keen to raise crucial revenue from any transfer there aren't many hurdles for Arsenal to clear, should they decide he is worth pursuing.
Therefore, this transfer should be be easier to complete than some of the other targets also on display at Euro 2020.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
