Dominic Calvert-Lewin has signed a contract extension with Everton, just nine months after joining the club last summer amidst rumours Arsenal were interested in the forward.

The talented 20-year-old striker was reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal. However the Toffees have acted quickly to reward his efforts this term with an improved five-year contract deal, officially tying him down until 2022.

Having made his Premier League debut in a cameo appearance during their 2-1 December win over Arsenal, he has gone on to feature in nine top-flight fixtures since then. Netting his first goal during a 4-0 thrashing over Hull back in March, he has been tipped for a bright future and unsurprisingly, Arsène Wenger is reportedly a fan of the promising forward.

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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – MARCH 18: Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton (C) celebrates as he scores their first goal with Tom Davies (26) and Romelu Lukaku (10) during the Premier League match between Everton and Hull City at Goodison Park on March 18, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Ronald Koeman has predominantly played him as a left-sided winger but with first-choice forward Romelu Lukaku’s long-term future still uncertain, it’s likely that he will feature in his preferred attacking role soon.

Would a move actually have happened though?

Despite Wenger’s rumoured interest, it’s unlikely that Arsenal would have actually made a concrete bid for the striker. If they were truly interested, it would’ve made sense to make a formal approach to his former club Sheffield United as opposed to patiently waiting and missing out altogether.

This could be another case of a missed opportunity in the long-run, as Calvert-Lewin now has the platform to flourish for years to come – something that wouldn’t be as simple in north London given the depth and current situation with regards to acquisitions at the club.

When talking about his new deal he said, “I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve had since joining the club and I’m really looking forward to continuing my development here. I hadn’t expected things to move as fast as they have and to have played against the teams I have done.

With that in mind, it’s clear that any reported interest didn’t influence the decision itself.

He’ll be hoping to impress and prove his ability was worth it, raising another question altogether: why don’t Arsenal attempt to make more shrewd acquisitions from English clubs, at least before players become well-known?