Arsenal boost as £60m Premier League transfer target placed in shop window

Brentford manager Thomas Frank has effectively placed striker Bryan Mbeumo in the shop window for the summer transfer market by admitting that the club would be ‘open’ to selling the player.

The 25-year-old has bagged an impressive 18 Premier League goals this season and picked up six assists. Mbeumo has become one of the top flight’s most impressive forwards and has been regularly linked with a move to Arsenal and Newcastle United.

The Standard is the latest to carry those transfer rumours this week. The Gunners are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements this summer with Andrea Berta tasked with adding goals to Mikel Arteta’s squad. Arsenal have had to field teams for large parts of this season without an out-and-out striker due to injuries.

Thomas Frank puts Bryan Mbeumo in shop window

Mbeumo will enter the final year of his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium come the end of the season but Brentford do hold the option for another 12 months. Speaking this week, Frank has admitted that the club could sell their star man this summer.

He said: “I know Bryan is very happy at Brentford. He’s thriving, doing well and playing fantastic. What happens in the future, I don’t know. I’ve said many times, we are a selling club. But that’s also to reinforce that there are maybe 10 clubs in the world that are not selling clubs.

“Of course, if the right price - and that’s going to be expensive - is coming, then I’m pretty sure that the club will be open for it. But I’m very happy he’s here and I’m convinced Bryan will be happy playing football here. A lot (laughing). I would say a lot. There have been times before where a club has knocked on our door and we’ve said no.”

Frank added that he is ‘convinced’ the striker will not push for a transfer himself. Brentford have sold Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay under Frank’s reign, who are all players who found prolific form while at the club.

Brentford place £60m price tag on Arsenal and Newcastle United target

The Mirror claimed on Thursday that Brentford had set a £60 million asking price for Mbeumo. The forward joined the Bees with the west London outfit still in the Championship, signing from Troyes for £5.8 million.

Mbeumo has scored 68 goals for Brentford in 237 appearances and has 40 top flight strikes to his name. The striker can play on the right wing or through the middle, potentially offering Arsenal a versatile addition to the squad.

The Gunners know that Mbeumo can find the back of the net with the player having stunned Arsenal by opening the scoring after just 13 minutes on New Year’s Day. Arteta’s side did go on to win that match 3-1.

Mbeumo has impressed alongside teammate Yoane Wissa this season, with the latter having scored 16 goals in the league. Praising the duo last month, Frank said: "That's an incredible achievement from the two of them. All praise due the two of them for the hard work, how much they push, and then of course to my staff, and then I think a little bit to the way we play."

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