Arsenal to face competition from Bayern for top target, three alternatives to consider

Bengaluru, Nov 19: If reports in England are to be believed, Arsenal are likely to face competition from German Bundesliga holders Bayern Munich for one of their top targets Dominik Szoboszlai. The Hungarian wonderkid has been in the news for several months now following his rise to fame for Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg.

Arsenal have been named as one of the most interested parties for his services in recent times but there has also been interests from elsewhere. And, now a team like Bayern entering the fray makes Arsenal's job really hard.

Arsenal reportedly saw Szoboszlai as a cheaper alternative to Lyon midfield maestro Houssem Aouar because of the £22.5 million release clause in his contract. And, he has on fire this season with 14 goal involvements in just 11 games for Salzburg.

Now that Szoboszlai's stock is on the rise and is getting linked with bigger clubs, Arsenal's chances of getting their man look very slim and they should start looking at alternatives for the 20-year-old. In this article, we will take a look at three players the Gunners should look at.

3. Isco - Real Madrid

Isco's career at Real Madrid has been a rather strange one. He moved to the Spanish giants with big hopes in 2013 but despite spending seven years at Santiago Bernabeu, the former European Golden Boy could never become a regular for the Los Blancos. Over the years, he has been in and out of the first team but has tasted plenty of success at the club including four Champions League titles.

At 28 years of age, it is high time for Isco to look for a new challenge and a new club where he can finally become a regular first-team player. Arsenal badly need a creative midfielder which has been quite evident this season and Isco can potentially solve their issue.

2. Houssem Aouar - Lyon

A player who has been strongly linked with Arsenal in recent times and almost joined the Gunners this summer, Aouar was believed to be Arsenal's first-choice ahead of Szoboszlai. It was the Hungarian's relatively modest price tag which made him the Gunners' primary target. Now if Arsenal does miss out on Szoboszlai, they could potentially revert back to square one and push for Aouar.

The 22-year-old is a top-class midfielder with plenty of experience for his age. Also, he is capable of playing in a range of positions which makes him really ideal for Mikel Arteta's system that relies a lot on fluidity and tactical awareness.

1. Jack Grealish - Aston Villa

Jack Grealish has arguably been the best players in the Premier League this season so far and sooner or later, he is destined to leave his boyhood club Aston Villa. Despite the fact that Grealish could cost a fortune, Arsenal should enter the race for the versatile and creative midfielder. Both the Manchester clubs are believed to be interested in his services but if Arsenal can snatch him from under their noses, it will not only be a great addition but will also be a strong statement from the Gunners that they still hold one of the biggest pulling powers in England.