Arsenal have made their expected return to talks to sign Igor Tyjon from Blackburn Rovers, but the Championship club have rejected a second bid from the Gunners.
Arsenal are pushing for the signing of a youth forward this summer, but their attempts are yet to yield positive results.
The Gunners first saw a bid for Igor Tyjon of Blackburn Rovers turned down, before agreeing a fee to sign Will Wright from Salford City – only for the player to choose to join Liverpool instead.
Reports then suggested Arsenal would return to the table for Tyjon, but James McNicholas reveals for The Athletic that the Gunners have also seen their second bid for the striker rejected.
Tyjon is in the final year of his scholarship contract with Blackburn Rovers, so as it stands he’ll be available for a training compensation fee next summer. But Rovers are keen for the teenager to sign a professional contract with the club, hence their reluctance to sanction a move to Arsenal.
Rovers have been giving Tyjon first-team chances in pre-season, and he even netted his first senior goal in a friendly win over Qatar SC.
“To get that first goal aged 17 is a great feeling and it’s nice to get it out of the way,” Tyjon said afterwards. “It’s something you want to do as a kid, but it’s only pre-season so I want to replicate that in the regular campaign.”
Arsenal aren’t completely without centre-forward options at youth level this season, with Andre Harriman-Annous ready to make the step up to the u21s after joining the senior side on tour in pre-season.
But the Gunners are evidently keen to add another striker if they can.