Arsenal are keeping close tabs on Reading striker Danny Loader ahead of a summer move, according to reports, but they’re far from the only ones to show an interest.

Goal understand that Arsenal are one of several clubs watching Loader, who is in the final year of his contract with Reading. The 18-year-old started to make the step up to senior football this season, making 21 appearances (nine starts), though he still played plenty of games for the Reading u23s, scoring 10 goals and assisting one in 11 appearances.

Loader has had a rather similar season to Eddie Nketiah in that regard. Like Nketiah, he scored one senior goal and was nominated for PL2 Player of the Season at youth level. He’s appeared a bit more often than the Arsenal man, but in the Championship that’s to be expected.

Goal list a lot of other clubs following the striker, from Wolves, Chelsea, Leicester City and Southampton in England, to Rennes, Lille, Borussia Monchengladbach and Juventus from abroad.

Personally, I think Arsenal should trust in their own youth strikers instead. Eddie Nketiah can go on loan, but Tyreece John-Jules and Folarin Balogun look like excellent prospects that just need first-team chances. However, if Loader is available in an extremely cut-price deal, due to his contract situation, perhaps then it would be worth it.