By Betsefy
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly among the clubs to have been offered the chance to sign Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Tete.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, the 22-year-old moved to Lyon on loan until the end of the 2022-23 season and has made a positive impression in Europe.
Tete has registered seven goals and eight assists from 24 games in a Lyon shirt, including five goals and three assists from 13 games in the current Ligue 1 campaign.
However, with the attacker’s temporary deal with Les Gones set to come to an end next summer, his long-term future is up in the air, as Laurent Blanc‘s side do not possess the option to sign him permanently.
Tete’s contract with Shakhtar also runs out in December 2023, but his deal with the Ukrainian giants was suspended as part of FIFA’s ruling on foreign players in the country.
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According to 90Min, Tete is likely to end his loan spell at Lyon in January and secure a permanent move elsewhere, and a number of Premier League clubs have been alerted to his situation.
The report states that both Arsenal and Tottenham have been presented with the chance to sign the former Brazil Under-23 international, who does not fit into the plans of newly-appointed Lyon manager Blanc.
West Ham United and Newcastle United are also believed to have been made aware of Tete’s availability, while Southampton were apparently close to bringing Tete to St Mary’s last summer.
Tete came through the Gremio youth system before signing for Shakhtar in 2019, and he has amassed 31 goals and 15 assists in 108 appearances for the Ukrainian powerhouses in that time.
While primarily deployed as a right-winger, Tete has also garnered experience playing in the number 10 role and up front during the early stages of his career, and his versatility could appeal to Mikel Arteta.
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The Arsenal manager has been left short of out-and-out attacking options after Gabriel Jesus‘s knee injury and subsequent surgery, which is expected to sideline him for three months.
Gabriel Martinelli could be moved to a central role to ease the burden on Eddie Nketiah, but a new attacker is expected to be Arteta and Edu‘s priority for the January market.
Tete’s Shakhtar teammate Mykhaylo Mudryk is regarded as Arsenal’s leading target in the final third, and the 21-year-old is understood to be pushing for a winter move to the Emirates.
However, Shakhtar director of football Darijo Srna has frequently claimed that it would take a fee of €100m (£88.5m) to sanction a sale, although Arsenal are supposedly confident that they can strike a deal for less.
Arteta’s men will aim to move eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table when they host West Ham United for a Boxing Day London derby.
