Arsenal second-choice striker target values himself at £68m and wants to play for Man Utd

Arsenal have reportedly placed Brian Brobbey near the top of their striker wish list. The Ajax forward certainly isn’t shy of confidence, slapping himself with a hefty price tag and reeling off several top European clubs when asked where his future could lie.

Brobbey, whose two stints at Ajax are separated by an unsuccessful season with RB Leipzig, is going from strength to strength. Finishing this campaign with 22 goals in all competitions, the youngster is believed to have earned admirers in high places.

According to The Independent, Arsenal have put Brobbey second on their list of their preferred striker targets this summer, behind only Newcastle United frontman Alexander Isak. And with the Magpies set to put up a fight if Mikel Arteta comes calling, Brobbey could find himself at the Emirates Stadium before the start of next season.

He may not have long to wait before discovering his fate, as the Gunners reportedly want to conduct the vast majority of their transfer business before their 2024/25 pre-season tour.

Brobbey has already admitted that he would be open to wearing the Arsenal shirt one day, meaning a deal is there to be done for Arteta if the Gunners’ board are prepared to splash out on the Netherlands international.

In an interview with Men’s Health magazine last month, Brobbey also admitted that he could see himself at two other European powerhouses when asked which teams he would like to play for. “Real Madrid is a great club,” he said. “But so are Arsenal and Manchester United.”

Brobbey and Erik ten Hag previously worked together at Ajax, and links to United have been rife over the past 12 months. The Red Devils’ striker spot is currently filled by Rasmus Hojlund, who finished his debut season with 10 Premier League goals.

Any pursuit of Brobbey is unlikely to end in a bargain deal. The 22-year-old is contracted to Ajax for another three years, and he thinks it will take a hefty bid to prise him away from his homeland this summer.

As part of the same question and answer session, he said: “After the European Championships, I will be worth €80million [£68m].” Although the price tag is eye-opening, Newcastle man Isak would likely command an even higher fee. The same goes for Sporting goal machine Viktor Gyokeres, whose contract in Portugal includes an £86m release clause.

Kai Havertz was Arsenal’s leading striker for the final few months of the season, with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah failing to stamp their authority on Arteta’s starting XI.