Arsenal line up Spain striker as Van Persie replacement
Published:Arsenal are eyeing Fernando Llorente as a replacement for want-away striker Robin van Persie.
Despite previous reports that Arsenal were prepared to let Van Persie see out the final year of his contract, it now appears that the Gunners are willing to cash in on the Dutchman who finished last season as the Premier League’s top scorer.
According to the Daily Mail, there is even speculation that he won’t go on the summer tour to Malaysia this Saturday.
Despite their captain having just one year on his contract, the Gunners won’t be short changed and are hoping to get around £20million for the striker – and they’re allegedly looking to use that money to bag Spain striker Llorente.
The 27-year-old scored 28 goals for Bilbao last season and has a £28million release clause written into his contract.
That would smash their current transfer record of £15million which they paid for Andrei Arshavin but the striker certainly has all the natural attributes to perform well in England, and for an Arsenal team that’s been criticised for being less than imposing in previous seasons.
It would be out of character for Wenger to splash such a large amount of money on a player but, with the Arsenal fans in need of appeasing, now could finally be the summer he takes a big gamble in the transfer market.
Juventus, Manchester City and Manchester United are all looking to get Van Persie, but the Sun reckons Wenger is flat out refusing to entertain the idea of selling to United – the side who have been Arsenal’s main rivals since Wenger arrived at Highbury 16-years ago.
In all honesty, it’s hard to see Van Persie going anywhere in England and the 5/1 offered for him to join Juventus by the end of the British summer transfer window looks like an extremely tempting proposition.
