Arsenals are set to battle it out with archrivals Tottenham Hotspur to sign Fernando Llorente.
According to reports in Spain, the North London duo along with Barcelona are leading the race to try and find an agreement in January.
Llorente has refused to sign a new contract with Athletic Bilbao, with the striker's current deal ending in June next year. The impasse has led to the Spanish international, who has also been linked with moves to Manchester City and Chelsea in the past, training away from the first team, and has missed all of Bilbao's three games so far.
However, it is understood Llorente is going to be integrated back into the first team this week, with the club hopeful of agreeing a new contract for the striker fondly called the "Lion King".
"Nobody knows what will happen over the season," Athletic Bilbao president Josu Urrutia said. "Among us all, maybe we can make him change his mind."
Llorente had been training with Javi Martinez at the start of the season, before the latter sealed a controversial move to Bayern Munich. The two players were even booed by a section of supporters while they trained at Bilbao's training facility last month.
Urrutia, however, is hopeful of integrating Llorente back into the squad. "We want him to give the same or better performances than last season," he said. "I believe we can generate a better situation and an atmosphere where he and the rest of the team can play to their maximum."
Despite the comments of the president, some reports suggest Arsenal and Spurs are considering a pre-contract agreement with the striker. Llorente, if he does not sign a new deal with Bilbao, will be eligible to talk to clubs about a move away in January. The Gunners might also consider putting in a bid in January, depending on the situation at the time. Barcelona and Juventus are also keeping an eye, with the Catalan giants reportedly confident of sealing a free transfer next summer.
Llorente is no doubt a talented and experienced striker, who will give you a minimum 20 goals a season. While Olivier Giroud has struggled to find the target in the first three games for the Gunners, his work rate and intelligent runs suggest, goals will come eventually.
Lukas Podolski is the other option for Arsenal as the center forward, with Marouane Chamakh clearly not in Arsene Wenger's plans. However, Podolski has looked extremely comfortable playing from the left, and it looks like it is his preferred position. So Arsenal could do with another striker in their ranks no doubt, and if Llorente has not signed a new contract by January, a bid in the next transfer window might be the better option, because if the likes of Barcelona show their interest in the summer, Arsenal as well as Spurs will find it difficult to come to an agreement.
