In a recent media segment with Esport 3 (via AS), Espanyol general manager José María Durán offered an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Raul de Tomas. When asked about the Gunners’ interest in the Spanish striker, Duran said,
“It was a one-off call that we almost didn’t even want to listen to,”
“Our position here is clear. We are building a heritage, and we will not let players leave in any way, and less so Raúl de Tomás and at this time, in the middle of the season.
“Raúl no longer has a clause of 70 million, but due to inflation, it is almost 75. The prices go up, but so do our defences.”
De Tomas’ Growing Influence At The RCDE Stadium
De Tomas is having an excellent season in Spanish football as he has been responsible for putting in several influential displays as the focal point of Espnayol’s attack. The Madrid-born talent has scored 12 goals and grabbed two assists in 23 matches for his current club this season in various competitions.
The Spanish marksman has led the line well for Espanyol based on his average of 3.6 shots, 0.8 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per game in La Liga. He has even distributed the ball relatively well in the opponent’s half after completing 83.6% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
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Should Arsenal Go Back In For De Tomas This Summer?
De Tomas has proven himself to be a lethal finisher in front of the opposition goal. He has netted plenty of important goals for Espanyol this season and can even create some meaningful openings for others around him.
The Spanish striker has also made a few well-timed runs in behind the opponent’s backline. He hardly gives away the ball cheaply which makes him a good fit for Mikel Arteta‘s brand of football at the Emirates Stadium.
Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette remain the only two strikers at Arsenal‘s disposal, so De Tomas would have been a necessary addition to the Gunners’ squad this summer. However, Espanyol’s current demands might be too steep for the North London outfit to match. Still, Arteta should wait until the summer before making a move again to land the Spanish sensation as he would bolster his attack considerably in the off-season.
