City-rivals Spurs also want to land the one-time Rossoneri marksman in January.
Premier League leaders Arsenal have had a bid of £6.5 million for Corinthians front man Alexandre Pato rejected out of hand by the Brazilian giants, according to reports in the Daily Star.
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The north London club are known to be in desperate need of backup for current first-choice striker Olivier Giroud at the Emirates for the second half of this campaign, with Gunners head coach Arsene Wenger said to be concerned that his in-form France international could soon be the victim of burnout if he is forced to continue operating as a lone centre forward.
As a result, the Frenchman has been busy scouring the market in search of some cover up front for Giroud, with Wenger having been hopeful of being able to tie up a deal at the turn of the year for the 24-year-old Brazil international.
Pato has only been back in his homeland for less than a year now after leaving Serie A giants AC Milan last January for Corinthians in a four-year deal worth £12.8m.
However, it is fair to say that the forward has not been a great success since his return to Brazil, although if Wenger wants to get his man, then Arsenal will need to pay upwards of the £12.5m mark which their north-London rivals offered for Pato during the summer.
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