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Arsenal make £24m hitman new key target, Liverpool & Spurs also keen

By mac14 on June 24, 2016

According to a report in Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Arsenal have made Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani our new prime striker target but we could face competition from the likes of Spurs and Liverpool.

Arsene Wenger has been forced to turn to alternative targets in his search for a new striker after Jamie Vardy snubbed his move to the Emirates by agreeing a new contract with Leicester City.

While names such as Benzema, Aubameyang and Lukaku have been linked in the media, O Jogo claims that Wenger has made Sporting Lisbon hitman Islam Slimani his new priority.

However, we could face plenty of competition as the Portuguese outlet suggest that Spurs, Liverpool and Leicester are also showing an interest while Atletico Madrid and Lazio are believed to be keeping tabs on the striker.

No potential transfer fee is mentioned in the report but the Mirror claimed earlier this month that the striker has a £24m (€30m) buyout clause in his contract and they also mentioned that Arsenal were interested, so there could be some truth in this.

Slimani shot to prominence after scorning 31 goals in 46 games for Sporting last season while he’s also netted 23 goals in 43 appearances for Algeria at international level, so he certainly knows where the goal is.

Arsenal agree personal terms with 25-goal hitman

However, the 27-year-old is yet to prove himself in any top league as it’s one thing scoring 31 goals in Portugal but it’s quite another doing it in the Premier League, so I hope Wenger will think twice about pushing too hard for Slimani’s signature this summer.

With reports earlier today claiming we’ve agreed personal terms with Lukaku, I pray they are true and these Slimani rumours are just idle speculation. Lukaku would be an excellent signing and I’d only like to see us move for Slimani as a last resort.