Arsenal have been given the go-ahead by Porto to sign striker Jackson Martinez, with the Portuguese side ready to cash-in this summer.
The 28-year-old Colombian international has been targeted by Arsenal for some time, with recent reports suggesting Arsene Wenger will aim to make the player a marquee signing this summer.
Porto have previously been unwilling to sell Martinez but club president Pinto Da Costa revealed it was likely the player would be allowed to leave this summer. He said:
‘Jackson almost left last summer but we agreed he’d stay one more year,’
‘If somebody pays [his value] he will go.’
Arsenal have seen Olivier Giroud hit a purple patch of form in recent weeks, whilst they can also call on the likes of Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez in a forward position.
The Gunners also have the likes of Chuba Akpom, Yaya Sanogo and Joel Campbell still on the books, which is why I would find it surprising if Arsenal were to spend this amount on a striker.
However, additional incoming deals could become a prospect if players leave North London- with Lukas Podolski poised for a permanent exit and the same reported for Joel Campbell, who has struggled to impress this term.