EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal scout £75m striker dubbed the 'next Lewandowski'

Steve Kay

• 22 Jan 2024 06:30 CST
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Arsenal have set their sights on signing Porto striker Evanilson as Mikel Arteta looks to boost his side’s attacking impetus for next season, FootballTransfers can reveal.

The 24-year-old Brazilian has been in stellar form during the 2023/24 season, boasting an impressive record of 15 goals and five assists in just 22 appearances, including four goals in the Champions League this term.

We are told that the Gunners' new scout Paulo Xavier has especially been brought in for his expertise in South American players and is now looking at another Brazilian to possibly lead the line for the Gunners next season, with Evenlinson, who some are calling the next Robert Lewandowski, being a main target.

Arsenal will need to pay around £65m for the striker but many inside the North London club feel that Evanilson would be well worth the money, given the bags of potential that he has.

Arsenal, via their sporting director Edu, have a good line to the South American talent pool - in recent years, the Gunners have added the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Marquinhos to their ranks.

Now forward Evanilson is being targeted to add to their contingent of Latin Americans to join the ranks.

In March of last year, winger Martinelli put a message on Instagram, stating, ‘never give up’ alongside a photo of him and Fabio Vieira in the Arsenal dressing room.

Vieira responded by saying ‘vamos Irmao’, or ‘let’s go brother’ in English. Then Porto striker Evanilson then got involved, commenting ‘que dupla’ – ‘what a duo’.

Who is Evanilson?

Evanilson joined Fluminense in 2013 and came through their youth ranks. Seven years later he signed for Porto in a transfer worth €8.8million. He has scored 51 goals in 134 games for the Portuguese outfit across all competitions.

He is contracted with Porto until 2027, having last signed on the dotted line in 2022. FootballTransfers’ Estimated Transfer Value algorithm ranks the striker at €18.5m.