A £17m solution to Arsenal’s lack of authority upfront:

After being linked to Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar for a number of weeks, only to have him sign a new contract with Schalke, I can’t help but wonder where Arsene Wenger stands when it comes to a new Arsenal striker.

Does he have a list of potential additions or is he scrabbling around as we speak, attempting to find a player who has the quality to improve this Arsenal squad.

Because one thing’s for sure: the Gunners need to improve in this area.

Arsene Wenger brought Olivier Giroud from Montpellier last summer to attempt to fix the gap left by Robin Van Persie. Whatever way you look at it, this move was a failure. Giroud looks like a good player, making up for his lack of mobility with aerial prowess, but he’s not a world-beater like RVP was.

The Gunners have taken a big step down and neither Theo Walcott, nor Lukas Podolski have been able to step up and provide the goal-threat the club sorely needs. Then there’s Gervinho, who looks like a little boy lost whenever he steps out onto the pitch.

If Arsenal are to truly replace their ex-Captain, they will likely have to step back into the transfer market to do so.

So it’s a bit of a relief to see the Gunners get linked to quality players like Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo. He’s a player who has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time now and talkSPORT claim that Sevilla are ready to sell if a club comes up with a fee of around about £17m.

Alvaro is a good striker who has appeared at International level for Spain and has impressed in La Liga. Last season he nabbed 14 goals in 36 appearances and this year he has scored 11 goals in 12 games (despite playing for a team embroiled in a relegation battle).

With Sevilla is a precarious position in the League and facing financial trouble, the time may be right for Arsenal to try and strike a bargain. This is an area that Arsene Wenger needs to improve upon and there are few decent players out there at a price that Arsenal can realistically afford. Negredo is one of these players and with this in mind, the Gunners would be foolish not to snap him up.

What’s your take? Would Alvaro Negredo be a decent addition for Arsenal this January?

Please follow @ThePerfectPass for more football related action!

Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:

ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.