Arsenal boosted in £50m chase after Wenger hint

Arsene Wenger has reaffirmed his desire to sign a new striker after Inter Milan hinted they are ready to accept a £50million bid for reported target Mauro Icardi.

Along with Paul Pogba and Gonzalo Higuain, the future of Icardi has become the most-talked about transfer in Italy, with the Inter Milan talisman linked with moves to Napoli, Spurs and Arsenal this summer.

And Inter president Erick Thohir has revealed he is willing to listen to offers for the forward, 23, if any club matches his £50m asking price.

The Indonesian businessman would like to keep Icardi, who has scored of 52 goals in all competitions, since signing from Sampdoria in 2013.

But he said: “All of us and Inter are hoping that figure goes above 60million euros.

“Inter will be here for hundreds of years but it is made of individuals who change each year.”

Icardi has been linked with a switch to Napoli following Higuain’s move to Juventus and they are believed to have offered £50.7m.

However, Thohir added: “We are hoping to receive a better offer.

“Mauro is an important player for us and our captain. However, players come and go.”

Wenger has revealed he is seeking a striker but admitted prices being quoted were ‘scary’.

Speaking after their 2-1 win over MLS All-Stars in San Jose he said: “At the moment I do not have too many attacking options.

“But you look at the cheques everybody signs and it is quite scary.

“That is what the Premier League is about just now.”

Gunners boss Wenger had a £29.3million offer for Alexandre Lacazette turned down last week but they could yet go back for the £42m-rated Frenchman.

But if the Arsenal boss decides not to make another offer, as Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has hinted, then a

move for Icardi could be next up.

Wenger failed in his bid to lure Leicester’s Jamie Vardy to The Emirates earlier this summer and with Lyon offering Lacazette a new deal, he could be thwarted yet again.