Arsenal Eye £28m Spaniard

With the summer transfer window in full swing, Football Talk will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer news throughout the summer. Today, Arsenal are linked with Fernando Llorente.

Arsenal will make a move for Atletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente if Robin van Persie leaves the club this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

Van Persie is expected to leave the Emirates this summer after declaring his intention not to sign a new contract due to concerns over the clubs ambitions.

Although manager Arsene Wenger hasn’t given up all hope of persuading his captain to stay, he is keen for a quick resolution so he can have time to buy a replacement if the Dutchman does leave.

The Daily Mail report that Arsenal have already drawn up a short-list of potential replacements, with Llorente under serious consideration.

The 27-year-old scored an impressive 28 goals for Bilbao last season and has a £28m buy-out clause in his contract. Should RVP be sold, Wenger would use the money to launch a move for the 6ft 5ins Spaniard, who Wenger feels would be able to adapt well to the rigours of the Premier League.

The Mail also suggest the Gunners are eyeing Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic and Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski as possible replacements for Van Persie.

The future of the 28-year-old Dutchman should become a little clearer this weekend when Arsenal will decide whether to take the striker on their tour of Asia, but reports this morning claim the Gunners have rejected three bids from Man City, Man Utd and Juventus and will leave Van Persie out of the tour squad to stay in London to sort his future out.

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