Arsenal are plotting a move for Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin with Mikel Arteta planning for life without Alexandre Lacazette... but the Gunners would have to fork out £60MILLION to land the England star

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Arsenal have targeted Dominic Calvert-Lewin and would like the Everton striker to spearhead the next phase of their development under Mikel Arteta.

Calvert-Lewin was on Arsenal’s radar in the summer but there was never any possibility of them being able to do a deal for the England international in August. He has, however, remained firmly on their wanted list since then and is greatly admired at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta is formulating plans for life without Alexandre Lacazette, whose contract expires at the end of the season. Though Arsenal’s head coach has indicated the Frenchman could be given a new deal, the likelihood is that he will leave in June.

Arsenal have targeted Dominic Calvert-Lewin (above) and would like the Everton striker to spearhead the next phase of their development under Mikel Arteta

Arsenal would then have a considerable hole in their wage structure to fill and Calvert-Lewin is regarded as the ideal candidate to come in and take over. 

The question would be whether they could meet the inevitably huge transfer fee – possibly beyond £60m – that Everton would demand.

Though it would be difficult, it would not be an insurmountable challenge as earlier this week Rafa Benitez, Everton’s manager, explained the stark landscape facing Everton in the transfer market and how they will need to potentially offload players to make signings of their own.

Calvert-Lewin was on Arteta's radar in the summer but there was never any possibility of Arsenal being able to do a deal for the England international in August

Arteta is planning for life without Alexander Lacazette, whose contract expires next summer 

‘Some clubs have sold players at the right time and with the money they received they improved the squad,’ said Benitez. ‘That is something we have to learn. The owner is ready to spend but we can’t spend all the time without bringing money back in. So I think we have to be clever in the future.’

Calvert-Lewin – who Everton signed from Sheffield United for £1.5m – started the season with three goals in as many games, as Everton got off to a quick start under Benitez, but since then the 24-year-old has been consigned to the role of frustrated spectator as injury has held him back.

Everton have badly missed his physicality and Sportsmail understands it will be at least another three weeks before Benitez will be able to consider him, meaning Calvert-Lewin will miss Monday night’s clash against Arsenal followed by games against Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Leicester.