Arsenal Trying To Hijack Chelsea’s Move After Tabling Formal Striker Bid

With the summer transfer window in full swing, managers are working hard trying to strengthen their squads ahead of next season so we’ll bring you all the news and gossip. Today, Arsenal make their move for Jose Callejon….

Arsenal are trying to hijack Chelsea’s attempts to sign Jose Callejon with the Metro reporting that Arsene Wenger has tabled a formal offer for the Napoli attacker.

Callejon came through the youth ranks at Real Madrid and after spending a three-year spell at Espanyol between 2008-2011, he returned to the Bernabeu where he scored 20 goals during 77 games before eventually being sold to Napoli in 2013.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed a decent two years in Italy having scored 32 goals in 102 appearances but his future has been called into question this summer following the exit of Rafa Benitez as manager and it’s led to speculation he could he heading for England.

The Metro reported last weekend that Chelsea had submitted a £15.5m offer for Callejon’s signature as Jose Mourinho looked for potential replacements for Mohamed Salah and Juan Cuadrado – with the duo tipped to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

However, it appears the Premier League champions are going to face some stiff competition as the Metro are now citing reports coming out of Spain which claim that Arsenal have also tabled a formal offer for the attacker.

The newspaper doesn’t indicate how much the offer is for or how Napoli have responded but it’s believed that Callejon is due to make a final decision over his future in the coming days, so the London duo should know where they stand soon enough.

The Spaniard is predominantly played as a right-sided attacker but he’s capable of playing anywhere in the front three positions, including up front as a central striker, so his versatility is sure to have appealed to Wenger and Mourinho.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news

If it comes down to a straight fight between the two managers Mourinho may have the edge as he knows Callejon well from their time together at Madrid and it was actually the Portuguese coach who re-signed him in 2011, so we know he must be a fan.

We’ll have to see how things develop over the coming days but while I don’t personally see Callejon as an ‘elite’ level attacker, he would be a solid signing for either club and someone who’d be useful to have around the squad.