Arsenal will reportedly turn to Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi should they fail in their pursuit of Lyon forward Alexandre Lacazette.

That’s according to Tony Stenson of the Daily Star Sunday, who has reported Icardi would be available for around £50 million. It’s noted the Gunners have already had a bid turned down for Lacazette, and should they decide not to go back in for the French international, they will look to sign the Inter man.

Indeed, the Nerazzurri president Erick Thohir suggested on Saturday Icardi could leave the club for the right price. “All of us and Inter are hoping that figure goes above €60 million,” he said, per Stenson. “Inter will be here for hundreds of years, but it is made of individuals who change each year.”

Icardi is rated as one of the best strikers in Serie A, having impressed with Inter and beforehand with Sampdoria. This is what the 23-year-old can do in front of goal:

As a player with good movement in the area, a sharp footballing intelligence and fine finishing skills, Icardi would be ideal to add the finishing touches to Arsenal’s creative approach play. Here’s a look at how he compared with new Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain in 2015-16, with the Argentina international netting an incredible 36 goals last term for Napoli:

Last term didn’t start off particularly well for Icardi, as manager Roberto Mancini left him out of the team for some big games, prompting questions about a possible poor attitude. But he finished the campaign strongly and grew into his role as club captain.

Even so, Spanish football journalist Rafael Hernandez is unsure whether or not the Inter man is worth the kind of money that’s being mentioned:

A fee of £50 million would be a lot for a player who doesn’t particularly relish physical battles and still has a lot to learn at the highest level. Icardi would certainly push Olivier Giroud for a starting spot at the Emirates Stadium, but at this juncture it’s debatable whether he’s a significant upgrade on the Frenchman.

     

Gunners Linked with Jonny Evans

According to Simon Jones of the MailOnline, Arsenal are considering a £16 million bid for West Bromwich Albion defender Jonny Evans.

As noted in the piece, Wenger is seeking defensive reinforcements following Per Mertesacker’s injury. Evans is said to have previously been a target for the Gunners during his time at Manchester United, and it’s suggested they may look to lure the player to the Emirates Stadium again.

“Arsenal have been considering the likes of Shkodran Mustafi at Valencia and Federico Fernandez at Swansea City in their search for a new defender, and a deal for Evans will come as a shock to many observers, but Wenger has confidence he can strengthen their squad,” the piece continued.

As Mertesacker noted himself recently on Twitter, he’s set for a spell on the sidelines:

Evans may not be the most glamorous name, but he could potentially do a solid job deputising for the German. He’s a player that’s experienced in the Premier League, won trophies with the Red Devils and someone who performed brilliantly in his debut season at the Hawthorns.

Here is a look at how the West Brom man compared with Mertesacker and other Gunners centre-back Laurent Koscielny in the Premier League in 2015-16:

Arsenal fans will likely do a double take at the prospect of Evans being linked and a potential fee of £16 million. But he’d be dependable cover.

What would be a concern to plenty tied to the Gunners is that the Northern Ireland man wouldn’t necessarily be an upgrade in the position. While there’s been plenty of talk about the possible impact a new forward would have at Arsenal, a world-class partner for Koscielny would be just as big a boost to the team’s title chances.

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