Quantcast
Home   >   Transfer News   >   Arsenal lining-up move for £17m Croatian hitman – reports

Arsenal lining-up move for £17m Croatian hitman – reports

By on July 29, 2016

According to the Daily Star, Arsenal are lining-up a move for £17m-rated Croatian international Mario Mandzukic, who could be surplus to requirements at Juventus this summer.

Arsene Wenger is on the look out for a new striker to support Olivier Giroud this season and we’ve so far been frustrated with our pursuits of a number of top class players.

Jamie Vardy snubbed us to stay at Leicester, Alvaro Morata is staying at Real Madrid, Lyon have rejected our attempts to sign Alexandre Lacazette and Gonzalo Higuain joined Juventus for nearly £75m earlier this week.

However, the Argentinean international’s move to Turin will see Mandzukic pushed further down the pecking order and that could turn out to be a boost for Arsenal.

That’s because the Daily Star are citing Italian outlet Gazetta World as claiming that Wenger is now eyeing a move for the Croatian hitman as Wenger looks to finally get his hands on a new striker.

The newspaper says the striker could be keen on the move in order to get regular football but we could face competition from West Ham for Manzukic’s signature, however, surely we should be able to land the 30-year-old ahead of the East Londoners?!

Mandzukic has excellent pedigree having played for the likes of Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and Juve in recent years and he’s scored 181 goals in 411 games throughout his career, so he’d certainly bring a goal threat as well as plenty of experience to the squad.

MORE: Source clarifies Mahrez situation amid reports of £37m Arsenal deal

He’s far more similar to Giroud than someone like Lacazette and while I’d prefer we went for the Lyon hitman, with Lyon demanding around £40m I can see the appeal Mandzukic would have as a short-term solution to our striking problems.