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Kokorin was in talks with Tottenham and Manchester United, but he now looks close to Arsenal.

As reported by Gazeta.ru, Aleksandr Kokorin of Dynamo Moscow is close to signing for Premier League side Arsenal, with the deal expected to be finalised before the end of the transfer window at the end of this month.

Kokorin was reportedly garnering interest from two other Premier League sides earlier this month, with his agent telling ESPN that both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United were tracking the forward.

He said: “Right now I’m working on the transfer of Kokorin. Manchester United and Tottenham are interested in his services. There are many reasons to think that he will end up in one of those clubs before August 31.”

Whilst his agent believed a deal would see him move to one of those interested parties before the end of this month, it appears as if Arsenal have jumped to the front of the queue for the 24-year-old striker.

Who is Aleksandr Kokorin?

Kokorin is a Russian international who has played for Dynamo Moscow, Anzhi and Lokomotiv Moscow in his career. He has netted eight goals in 32 games for his nation, and has built a reputation as a reliable goalscorer in the Russian Premier League.

Able to play as both a centre-forward, and in a central attacking midfield position, he has scored 47 goals in 194 appearances for Dynamo, also registering 25 assists.

He is not the top level striker that Arsenal fans may have been crying out for, but there is no doubt he can find the back of the net, and the Gunners really need a player to score consistently for them if they are to realistically challenge for the Premier League.

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