Arsenal face all-out war for Champions league winning lethal striker
Aug 3, 2016 at 2:32 PM
The Gunners will have to table a ‘monster offer’ to secure the service of highly-rated Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic, according to reports from Italian media.
Wenger is in desperate need of a new striker to lighten the pressure on Olivier Giroud and cover for the injured Danny Welbeck.
Arsenal boss admitted last week he is ‘still in the market’ for an in-form striker while Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette and Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi have both been linked heavily giving rise to so many rumours.
Also on Wenger’s radar is believed to be Juve forward Mandzukic who has struggled since making the move to Turin from Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal will make one last attempt to sign Lacazette offering Lyon £ 33.7 million if the Ligue1 side will also reject that offer, Wenger might decide to enter transfer talks with Juventus for the 30-year-old.
However, Italian news outlet Tuttosport claim Juventus will not sell the 30-year-old so easily and a ‘monster offer’ could be needed from the Gunners.
The Croatia international made just 27 Serie A appearances last season and will likely fall further down the pecking order after the arrival of goal-machine Gonzalo Higuain.
Juve signed the Argentina international from rivals Napoli last week for £75million – the third highest transfer fee in world football.
But Tuttosport further added, the arrival of Higuain will not at all tempt Juve into letting Mandzukic leave on a cheap transfer fee this summer.
The Gunners are also not alone in their interest in the Croatian, with Everton, West Ham and rivals Tottenham also linked.
Meanwhile, frustrated Arsenal supporters have been told to expect another quiet transfer window after chief executive Ivan Gazidis admitted they cannot afford to match their competitor’s spending power.