Udinese midifelder Jankto has been scouted by Arsenal for over a year – but you cannot discount West Brom.
Blessed with composure in possession, a penchant for scoring from midfield and the ability to thread a through-ball through the eye of a needle, Udinese starlet Jakub Jankto certainly fits the mould of a typical Arsene Wenger midfielder.
And, sure enough, the Daily Mirror reports that Arsenal are interested in bringing the 21-year-old Czech to North London in the summer after an excellent breakthrough season in Serie A.
Despite starting just 16 games, Jankto has produced four goals and four assists while also marking his international debut with a goal in the Czech Republic’s recent friendly win against Lithuania.
And this is not the first time Arsenal have been linked. The Guardian claimed last summer that The Gunners had scouted Jankto extensively during his season on loan at Serie B side Ascoli. Udinese, it is reported, would have considered bids of £8 million.
Therefore, just imagine the statement West Bromwich Albion would make if they were to beat Wenger’s Arsenal to the signature of one of their longest-standing transfer targets.
Tuttomercatoweb claimed earlier in the month that The Baggies had joined Jankto’s queue of suitors with Tony Pulis’ side on the lookout for an incisive, intuitive creator to supplement a midfield high on tenacity and reliability though relatively low on inspiration.
West Brom, thanks to their new Chinese owners, have shown tentative signs of competing with traditionally larger clubs for transfer targets in recent months. They reportedly challenged Everton for Morgan Schneiderlin and made approaches for William Carvalho, Manolo Gabbiadini and Morgan Sanson.
However, although Jankto would arrive at The Hawthorns with both a smaller price-tag and reputation, beating Arsenal to his signing may seem like something of a watershed moment for the Baggies.
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