As reported by Calciomercato.it, Arsenal are very interested in bringing 30-year-old Croatian, Mario Mandžukić, to Emirates.

  • Juventus striker Mario Mandžukić could play in the Premier League next season
  • Arsenal were reported to have attempted signing him last summer
  • 30-year-old tends to move clubs every 2 years

It’s rumoured that Mario Mandžukić wants to play as a pure striker and is becoming frustrated for after being constantly used outside of his natural position.

Mandžukić possess good pace and is one of the most hard-working attackers in game.

His constant desire to chase after balls makes him a fans favourite wherever he plays, although his approach can sometimes leave his teammates exposed if they fail to follow up his movements when putting on pressure on opposition’s back line.

On the other hand, he can often be seen tracking back opponents to his own penalty area and can be very helpful in the defensive phase.

With his 1.90m (6ft 3in) height, the Croatian is a real force in the air, and often uses it to gain an advantage along with his strength.

His style earned him the nickname Đilkoš (pronounced jill-kosh) from Miroslav Blažević which means ‘brash and unsophisticated’, referring to the striker’s physical strengths, powerful physique, and seemingly endless stamina, rather than his technical ability.

For the Croatian, Juventus is his seventh club in his career as he doesn’t often stay at a club for more than two seasons. So far, he has made 282 appearances while scoring 115 goals and making 65 assists in the process.

Comparing him to available strikers in Arsenal’s squad, the most obvious comparison is the one with Olivier Giroud. Both are formidable in the air, have great strength and are more than capable of playing with their back to goal to set up their teammates.

What puts Mandžukić at an advantage is his work rate which is not even comparable to the Frenchman’s. Although they are both great team players, th Croatian is the kind of player that makes everyone around him work harder and better, leading by example.

His determination has pulled him through many difficult times, and some may remember his days at Bayern Munich when Pep Guardiola took over. Mandžukić was often criticised by Pep and left out of the squad as he “didn’t fit the system” but has nonetheless made his way to the first team and became the club’s top scorer that season with 26 goals.

In his only season in La Liga, Mandžukić scored 20 goals in 43 appearances, once again living up to his image of a hard working player with great sense for goal.

If Arsenal were to sign the Croatian international, they would gain top quality striker with a winning mentality and great determination to succeed, something that the Gunners could sure use.