Arsenal ‘leading race for Red Bull Salzburg’s sensation

According to reports, Arsenal are first in line to acquire Oscar Gloukh, an attacker for Red Bull Salzburg, in 2024.

During the previous year’s Under-19 European Championships, the 19-year-old made his mark on the international stage by scoring three goals and assisting on two more as Israel was defeated by England in the final.

Despite Israel’s heartache at the hands of the Young Lions, Gloukh gained a transfer from Maccabi Tel Aviv to Salzburg in January and was named to UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.

The perennial Austrian champions, renowned for their prowess in developing young players, acquired the playmaker for a mere €7 million (£6.1 million). In his first half-season with the club, he claimed the Premier League championship.

With four goals and four assists in 20 matches across all competitions to begin the 2023-24 season, Gloukh has made ripples in the Champions League by scoring against Benfica and Inter Milan.

The Israeli junior team prodigy, who was born in 2004 and has since excelled, has been awarded three caps for the senior squad, where he scored three goals in Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Cyprus, Romania, and Belarus (the latter two times.).

Gloukh is under contract with Red Bull Salzburg until the conclusion of the 2026-27 season; however, due to his consistent development, he has inevitably been linked with transfers to European clubs of a higher caliber.

Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal have all been rumored to be contenders for the signature of the midfielder; however, the Gunners are reportedly in the lead, per the Spanish publication Fichajes.

Academy products such as Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson, and Eddie Nketiah have all made significant contributions to the first team under the leadership of Mikel Arteta. Additionally, his handling of William Saliba has garnered acclaim.

Although it appears that Gloukh could join the ranks of the latest prominent youngsters to play for the red and white, Arsenal would still have to contend with formidable rivalries to sign the Israeli midfielder in the summer of 2024.

Real Madrid and La Liga powerhouses Barcelona are rumored to have been monitoring Gloukh’s performances, and the Salzburg native reportedly expressed interest in signing with the latter club in the future.

Nevertheless, in the number 10 position, Carlo Ancelotti presently has Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, and Brahim Diaz at his disposal; the aforementioned players were acquired during the most recent transfer window.

Due to the persistent injury issues of Smith Rowe and the inconsistent performance of Vieira, Arsenal have encountered a dearth of natural substitutes for number 10 and captain Martin Odegaard, who has now missed three consecutive games with a hip injury.

Kai Havertz, a £65 million summer acquisition from Chelsea, has started in his stead each time. However, the German has produced subpar play, accumulating only one goal and one assist in 19 appearances.

Vieira was also dismissed late with a straight red card in Saturday’s match against Burnley; however, the late dismissal of the Portuguese did not affect the outcome as Arsenal cruised to a 3-1 victory, surpassing Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League standings.