Chelsea could provide Arsenal with a major boost to Mikel Arteta’s summer transfer plans. The Blues could do this by selling Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan.
According to 90min football, Inter want to pair Lukaku up with Dybala, with whom they are also in talks with. The Serie A side are reportedly preparing for Lautaro Martinez’s exit at the end of the season.
The Gunners have been one of the clubs reportedly linked with Martinez in recent months. Arteta’s side will have a major shortage and a lack of quality in the striker’s department at the end of the season, but Chelsea could prove key in Arsenal solving this issue.
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Italian news outlet Calciomercato recently claimed that Arsenal have added Lautaro Martinez to their shortlist of summer of striking options, as Arteta plots his new-look strike force. The Argentine was also linked to the club last season.
Despite 24 still being a younger age for a striker, Martinez is still very experienced having scored 11 goals in 22 Serie A games for Inter this season, and 68 goals in 174 games for the club overall. His scoring exploits has been carried over to the Argentina national team as he has scored 19 goals in 37 caps and played a major part in their Copa America win in the summer.
Edu will need to sign a striker in the summer as Alexandre Lacazette's contract is set to expire at the end of the season. This means that a decision needs to be made by the Arsenal hierarchy whether they offer the 30-year-old a new contract or not.
And it seems he could depart from the club after reported interest from his former club Lyon. Lacazette's exit seems even more likely after the recent comments made by Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, as he said via Metro : "We’ll do our best to sign Alexandre Lacazette in June. We’ve always remained in contact with him."
if the Frenchman does depart from the club then the Gunners could be left with just one recognised striker in the form of Folarin Balogun, as Nketiah's contract is also set to expire at the end of the season. Martinez would certainly be an excellent acquisition to solve the incoming striker problems for Arsenal, and Tuchel could play a major part in this by selling Lukaku to Inter.
Arsenal were reportedly quoted at £72million if they wanted to sign Martinez last season, however, Tuttomercatoweb have now claimed that it would cost the Gunners £58million if they want to secure his services in the summer. That certainly is worth pursuing a deal when you take into consideration the credentials the forward possesses.