Arsenal are the most likely transfer destination for Lens striker Lois Openda this summer, according to Jonathan Johnson in his exclusive CaughtOffside column.
The Belgium international has had a superb season in Ligue 1, and there’s been talk that this could earn him a big move to the Premier League this summer.
Johnson, however, believes it may be that Lens qualifying for the Champions League will be key in swaying Openda’s decision-making ahead of next season, though he also claims they’re likely to have to consider big enough offers if they come in, as Lens will need to strengthen their squad to balance domestic and European football next season.
The Ligue 1 writer expects that Openda won’t be moving to Leeds United, while Aston Villa also doesn’t seem particularly likely, with Arsenal a more realistic potential destination for him, if they decide they want to invest significant money in a signing up front this summer.
“Openda is certainly in a hot vein of form right now and is leading this Lens charge towards Champions League qualification, in what would be a massive achievement for the club. And to be honest, this opportunity to play in the Champions League with Lens could impact the ability of some Premier League clubs to snap him up.
“Arsenal have been linked with him, but it’s hard to imagine leaving Lens for someone like Aston Villa, while links with Leeds are also a non-starter,” Johnson explained.
“From an economic standpoint, Lens might have to consider big offers if they came in, but there’s a very good atmosphere at the club and a lot of excitement about possibly playing in the Champions League, so I don’t think a departure is necessarily straightforward. That said, Lens probably will need to strengthen their squad to balance domestic and European football, so there’s something to think about there. A number of players in the Lens squad are attracting interest, and Openda is one of them.
“Leeds do have a long-standing interest in the player, as I understand it, but it’s not going to happen while they’re in a relegation battle. Villa being in Europe could make them a more interesting prospect, but I don’t think Openda would be open to dropping down from the Champions League, and Villa are not even guaranteed to be playing in the Europa Conference League at this moment in time. Unai Emery’s presence could be attractive, and it’s a project that is starting to spark the interest of some more reputable players around Europe, but it’s going to require patience to get some of these big names to strongly consider a move to Villa Park.
“I think that probably makes Arsenal the most likely destination if Openda does move to England. Lens will obviously try to keep as many star names as possible and Openda would make sense as being a priority in that respect. A big offer could turn their heads, but we’ll have to see if Arsenal are willing to pay that much for a striker right now when their priorities will probably be in midfield and defence.”