Cody Gakpo is still set to receive the opportunity to impress in front of the Emirates Stadium crowd on Thursday when his PSV side travels to North London for their second Europa League clash of the season.
The game had been thrown into doubt after the Premier League postponed all fixtures this weekend as a mark of respect following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. However, football.london understands that the Metropolitan Police have indicated that they are comfortable with Arsenal's match with PSV Eindhoven going ahead despite concerns over the emergency services' availability.
Europa League fixtures fall under UEFA jurisdiction and so different parameters have been put in place. As things stand, the fixture looks likely to go ahead although there has been no official confirmation at the time of writing.
READ MORE: Arsenal given PSV fixture update as Metropolitan Police make crucial decision
If it is indeed business as usual on Thursday, Arsenal fans will get to pass judgement on one of the club's long-term targets in the form of Gakpo. football.london understands the 23-year-old has been on Edu's radar for some time after enjoying a standout 2021/22 campaign, scoring 21 goals and providing 15 assists in all competitions. Gakpo has also had an impressive start to the new season, already racking up 14 G/A.
It has previously been reported that Arsenal were the favourites to secure the players' services, although recent interest from Southampton and Leeds United has perhaps seen the Gunners fall behind in the pecking order for now. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed last month that PSV valued Gakpo between £34million and £38million.
Speaking last year, Gakpo admitted that he has a soft spot for Arsenal having watched Thierry Henry whilst growing up. "Everybody wants to play one time in the Prem. I don't favour one team but I like Arsenal a lot," he said. "I looked up to Henry when I was younger because he was a tall guy who played on the wing."
The Netherlands international will arrive at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday as someone who is appreciated by key figures at Arsenal and will know that he has the perfect opportunity to show Mikel Arteta exactly why he should be at the top of his list of targets.
Arsenal's search for a new winger was well-documented throughout the summer. A failed attempt to sign Raphinha along with interest in Wolves' Pedro Neto and Shakhtar Donetsk's Mykhaylo Mudryk signalled serious intent to strengthen the flanks, an intent which only grew stronger following the loan departure of Nicolas Pepe.
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