Arsenal are reported to be planning a summer approach for Helder Costa following his impressive showing for Wolverhampton Wanderers during the ongoing campaign.
The Angolan-born footballer joined the Wolves from Benfica on a season-long loan at the start of the season, but he has since inked a permanent £13m deal in January after having enjoyed a successful stint with the west Midlands club.
Costa is currently the Wolves’ top-scorer with 10 goals across all competitions, and it is his influence on the pitch which has captured the attention of Premier League’s elite, The Sun reports.
According to The Sun, Gunners head coach Arsene Wenger could be lining up a potential move for Costa in the summer after having scouts watch the player during the Wolves’ 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Rotherham United.
The Black Country side are currently just a point above the Championship drop zone after the win over the Millers, but Costa’s performance was nevertheless a let-down.
Costa missed a first-half penalty in the crunch fixture at the bottom of the table, but this is unlikely to diminish any interest from the top flight.
The 23-year-old, who is normally a right-sided winger, had spent much of his time with the Benfica reserves before making his switch to the Championship.
His performance against Liverpool in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup has been the standout moment after his two assists helped the Wolves clinch a surprise 2-1 win at Anfield. He also impressed in the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea in the same competition last month, and this appears to have attracted interest from Blues coach Antonio Conte.
Costa’s representative Jorge Mendes is likely to have a busy negotiation period in the summer with Wolverhampton Wanderers open to the possibility of offloading their winger for a fee of around £20m.
Arsenal are yet to offer a contract extension to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Costa could be seen a potential replacement for the Englishman who has just a year left on his deal.
