Mikel Arteta determined to keep focus on Arsenal’s win over Southampton
Arsenal face a struggle to keep exciting striker Khayon Edwards at the club amid interest from several clubs, including London rivals Chelsea. Academy manager Per Mertesacker will be concerned by developments after recent comments about the Gunners' 'unsustainable' transfer strategy.
Adidas and Arsenal have launched their official 2021/22 home jersey, inspired by the club's mantra of 'Arsenal for everyone'.
According to Mail Sport, the Gunners are yet to convince Edwards to sign a professional contract as he enters the final months of his scholarship deal.
Arsenal have made multiple offers but haven't managed to persuade the 18-year-old goalscoring starlet to extend terms.
And concerns are intensifying amid growing interest from top-flight clubs around Europe and closer to home.
There is significant interest in Germany, with Hertha Berlin, RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen all suitors.
Per Mertesacker won't be happy to lose Khayon Edwards. (Image: GETTY)
Edwards isn't short of potential destinations in England, though, as Brighton and Hove Albion, Leeds United, Newcastle United and Southampton join Chelsea in monitoring his situation.
No one will likely be more concerned than Mertesacker, who recently called on the club to continue promoting players from the Academy.
At the Arsenal Supporters' Trust Christmas Event earlier this month, Mertesacker stressed the importance of youth graduates rather than relying on regularly spending big money for new first-team talent.
He said: "You can't always predict. I think Emile and Bukayo got their chances and performed really well. We won against Chelsea and then a couple of games.
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"So, these are the moments you have to take advantage of. But which player is then able to and has prepared himself for that moment to come?
"To play well enough for the manager to say, 'listen, he's ready, and he can make the step up, he's part of the first team, we don't need to buy a player for 30 or 40m', which is not sustainable.
"Edu and Mikel did a lot last summer, but that's not sustainable for us as a football club. We're not going to do that on a consistent basis, so we need to make sure that the flow of top players from the Academy is constantly there.
"So they don't need to look to the market. We made a big effort, but that's not sustainable for us in the future."
Khayon Edwards is in the final months of his Arsenal scholarship. (Image: GETTY)
Edwards has trained with Mikel Arteta's first team but is yet to make his senior debut, despite playing at that level for the under-23s in the EFL Trophy.
His goal-contributing exploits at youth level have only increased hype about his future at the Emirates Stadium.
He has scored 14 times and registered six assists in just 13 appearances this season.
But Edwards' future may lie away from north London, although Arsenal will undoubtedly be desperate to keep him around.