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Arsenal Are €44m Strikers ‘Most Likely Destination’ – Report

By on June 27, 2014

According to reports, Arsenal have emerged as Jackson Martinez’s ‘most likely destination’ this summer with Arsene Wenger contemplating triggering his €44m buy-out clause.

The Colombian hitman has just enjoyed an excellent season with Porto that saw him score 20 goals in 30 league games, and he’s taken that form into the World Cup by bagging 2 goals in 3 group games to help his nation into the last 16.

A whole host of European clubs have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old this summer with Arsenal joining the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in showing an interest in luring him to England.

Martinez is understood to have stalled on signing a new contract after Porto insisted on increasing his buy-out figure to around £70m – which the striker feels would end any hope of sealing a big-money move to one of Europe’s top clubs.

This has led to speculation that the Portuguese giants are ready to cash-in and the Express claim that Arsenal have now emerged as the players most likely destination this summer.

Recent reports have suggested that Arsene wants to sign Loic Remy AND a marquee striker and Martinez is high on his hit-list. With other targets such as Karim Benzema looking out of reach, the newspaper suggests that Martinez could be a viable option and if he continues to impress in Brazil, then we could meet his £35m buy-out fee.

I personally feel £35m is a big price for a player that’s relatively unproven outside of Portugal, so it would be something of a risk to pay that kind of money, but there’s no denying his goal-scoring record has always been impressive wherever he’s played.

Career stats of 155 goals in 293 games is testament to that, so while I do think there might be better and less risky options out there, Martinez could be an excellent signing if he adapts to the Premier League quickly.