Arsenal line up budget striker signing as they prepare for eight ‘high-profile’ transfers

Arsenal are lining up Torino striker Antonio Sanabria as a low-cost transfer option this summer, according to reports in Italy.

The Gunners have made midfield their priority in the summer transfer market with rumours they could spend as much as £180m on West Ham’s Declan Rice and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would also like to secure a signings in a number of other positions if his transfer budget allows, including a potential new striker.

The Gunners had to rely on Eddie Nketiah for a big chunk of the season after summer signing Gabriel Jesus was injured at the World Cup in Qatar over the winter tournament.

And in order to fit into the transfer budget, Arteta and Arsenal technical director Edu could opt for a low-cost option up front with reports in Italy claiming they are interested in Torino’s Sanabria.

Area Napoli insist that the Gunners are one of a number of clubs interested in Sanabria with Napoli looking for a replacement for Victor Osimhen as the Serie A side resign themselves to losing their star striker.

Sanabria has been Torino’s top goalscorer this season with the striker contributing 12 goals and three assists with the Italian outfit demanding around €25m for his services.

Arsenal, AC Milan and Inter Milan are the three other clubs named, on top of Napoli, who could make a move for Sanabria this summer but it is not clear if talks have yet started.

In order to raise funds for other signings, the Daily Mirror claims that Arsenal boss Arteta is ‘preparing for a summer clear-out’ with ‘up to eight high-profile exits and five significant incomings in the offing’.

And, without those outgoings, the report adds that Arsenal ‘won’t be able to rebuild in the way which Arteta desires’ with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka ‘among’ those who could leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Kieran Tierney, Rob Holding and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are all described as  ‘on the chopping block’ while Folarin Balogun – who has impressed on loan at Ligue 1 side Reims this season – ‘may be made surplus to requirements’.

And Emile Smith Rowe – who suffered a bad injury this season – could ‘be sacrificed’ as Arsenal look to upgrade their midfield with the Daily Mirror touching on the Gunners’ interest in Leicester City’s James Maddison and West Ham’s Rice.

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