Arsene Wenger’s Ambitious Five-Man Striker Short-List Revealed

With the January transfer window just around the corner, managers will be working hard to identify potential new signings, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest transfer gossip. Today, Arsene Wenger’s striker wish-list is revealed.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has drawn up a five man striker shortlist ahead of the January transfer window with star names such as Robert Lewandowski and Diego Costa in his sights, according to Goal.

The Gunners are flying high at the top of the Premier League as we reach the half-way point of the season but there is little doubt that the club could do with another option up front, with Olivier Giroud starting in practically every game so far this campaign.

It appears Wenger is making preparations for the up-coming January transfer window with Goal claiming the Frenchman has drawn-up a five-man short list of strikers and is prepared to spend in the region of £30m to bring one to the Emirates this winter.

Arsenal showed their ambition in the summer with the record signing of Mesut Ozil and it seems they are prepared to spend big again, with the supposed quintet including Robert Lewandowski, Diego Costa, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Stephan El Shaarawy and Fernando Llorente.

Lewandowski is the most high-profile name on the list and would certainly represent another marquee signing. The Polish hitman is entering the final 6 months of his current contract at Borussia Dortmund but with the likes of Bayern Munich sniffing around, it’s going to be an extremely difficult deal to pull off – particularly in January as Dortmund are through to the last 16 of the Champions League.

The other superstar name on the list is Atletico Madrid’s Costa. The Brazilian has been in stunning form this season, scoring 22 goals in just 21 games to help Atletico keep pace with Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.

Goal claim Wenger has sent scouts to watch the player this season and the 25-year-old is understood to have a £30m buy-out clause in his contract. However, while Arsenal may be prepared to meet that figure, it’s questionable whether the striker would be willing to switch clubs mid-season, especially when you consider how well Atletico are playing this campaign.

The other three names on the list are more attainable, particularly Lavezzi and El Shaarawy, who have fallen out of favour at PSG and AC Milan respecively. Neither are your typical out-and-out striker but they would give the Gunners plenty of options in attack as they are capable of playing anywhere across the front line.

Llorente endured a difficult start to life at Juventus but has since settled down and is now playing alongside Carlos Tevez on a regular basis, so while the report states that Wenger would like to bring him to north London on loan, it’s unlikely Juve will allow him to leave now he’s beginning to establish himself in the first team.

I personally can’t see Lewandowski or Costa happening, especially in January, so if this really is Wenger five-man short-list, I think we’ve only really got a chance of signing Lavezzi or El Shaarawy.  Either would be useful additions, but neither are the out-and-out striker many feel we need to really help push us towards the title.

It’s good to see the boss is trying to be ambitious again though, and many would have laughed at the thought of us signing Mesut Ozil, so you just never know, maybe we could pull something special out the bag again this winter?

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