With Champions League football safely banked for another season, this summer could be a busy time for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. There?s little doubt that the Gooners would love to see some new arrivals to boost the club?s chances of competing for trophies next term, and this year, the club may just oblige them.
With a war chest of some ?70million to spend, on getting the Gunners firing again, it now appears that the Frenchman will decide to blow a bit of that brass, and one of the first names on the target list will be a top line striker. The Daily Telegraph has reported that Gonzalo Higuain is the man that Wenger sees as the solution to his apparently eternal ?central striker? problem. With Giroud now appearing to be destined to join the long line of players that have failed to live up to the mark, the club may e turning to the Argentinian for the answer.
Never quite a regular under Jose Mourinho, Higuain was used in almost ?job-share? role with Karim Benzema as the Portuguese played roulette with his strikers, to find the ideal foil for Cristiano Ronaldo. Neither really quite had that ability to dovetail with the team?s star, and with Mourinho now on the way out of the door, it?s highly likely that Higuain will follow.
As is always the case at clubs like Real Madrid, the arrival of a new manager inevitably brings with him an influx of new stars, and a turning out of the old guard. With Higuain likely to fall into this category, a bid of ?20million or so would probably be enough to secure agreement. The only difficulty then would be in persuading the player to move to London.
Wenger can be a persuasive character though, and with the lure of Champions? League football with the Gunners, compared to a frustrating time on the side lines as an ostracised reserve at Madrid, it should be an argument he can win. Add in the right salary, and the deal could be done in fairly short order. It could be that this summer finally sees Arsenal with the guy that is leading the line able to deliver. It could just make the difference in the club?s trophy hunt.
Apparently Arsenal are looking at a ?19million bid for the Argentinean striker, just one of a number of options Wenger is considering. The paper reports: 'Arsenal have also watched Stevan Jovetic, the Montenegro and Fiorentina striker, but there are doubts over whether he will leave Italy. Wayne Rooney is another striker to have been considered, but he is unlikely to fit into Arsenal's wage structure.
Source: DSG
Source: DSG