Arsenal push for stunning Lautaro Martinez transfer

Arsenal Must Sell Lacazette & Nketiah to Fund Lautaro Martinez Transfer

As for almost every deal that has been mooted this summer, they are reliant on Arsenal selling players first. So far this window that has proven to be desperately difficult, with only loans sanctioned so far, but there are more bodies that can be shifted.

One of those is Hector Bellerin, who is in talks with Inter over summer switch. That opened the lines of communication and Arsenal have even offered Alexandre Lacazette as part of any deal to sign Martinez. Inter want a straight cash deal.

Lacazette must still be sold. So too Eddie Nketiah.

The pair are up for sale this window and while the former is proving tough to move on due to his age and wage packet, there  are suitors for Nkeitah who has had a decent enough pre-season.

Other links to strikers have emerged during this window, with Alexander Isak one of the Gunners’ targets only to be ruled out having signed a contract extension with Real Sociedad. Tammy Abraham is also on the radar.

Martinez, however, is an elite option. One of the finest strikers on the continent and someone Arsenal have tracked for a while – who wouldn’t?

Perhaps the most interesting point is that the 23-year-old is thought to be open to moving to north London. Despite Arsenal’s predicament, with only the Premier League to focus on, he remains interested.

Part of that may come from the salary boost he would receive. There would be an upgrade on his €2.5m annual net in wages.

Yet it comes down to selling. If Arsenal are serious about what they want to do this window, then they have to move players on. Nothing else will suffice.

Runarsson, Lacazette, Bellerin, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac, Cedric, Maitland-Niles, Willock, Willian, Nelson and Nketiah are all available for sale. Being ambitious and being realistic are two opposite ends of the spectrum. Arsenal’s ambitions can only be met if that allow them to enter realistic territory. That means selling.