Emirates Stadium side look to welcome in Stamford Bridge forward.
Check in to Chelsea vs Arsenal
Arsenal are in advanced ‘secret’ talks to sign Chelsea youngster Romelu Lukaku as Jose Mourinho prepares to sell the striker to a Premier League rival.
CaughtOffside understands that Blues boss Jose Mourinho is looking to cash-in on 20 year old Belgian international Lukaku so as to make room for a big money striker addition this summer and has no qualms about selling the forward to Arsenal.
Mourinho proved in January with the sale of Juan Mata to Man United that he doesn’t have an issue with selling top talents to other Premier League outfits and as long as his valuation of Lukaku is reached then a sale of the powerful marksman will be sanctioned.
That valuation is said to be £22m and it’s a price that Arsenal are ready to pay.
Arsene Wenger has long been a fan of the Chelsea ace, his interest dating back to Lukaku’s emergence on the scene at Anderlecht.
Arsenal were unwilling to fork out the £17m needed to sign Lukaku back in August 2011 but are now ready to meet Chelsea’s price-tag as Wenger seeks to strengthen his attack whilst also adhering to his youthful transfer policy.
Lukaku was drafted into the Chelsea squad after impressing during pre-season action but Jose Mourinho then appeared to have second thoughts and allowed the starlet to complete a season long loan move to Everton.
Roberto Martinez has enjoyed the fruits of that switch with Lukaku scoring ten goals in 19 Premier League starts.
Indeed the loaned in Blues ace is not only the club’s top-scorer but he is also the joint leading assist maker at the Goodison Park side this term.
Wenger has seen Olivier Giroud overworked up front, no Arsenal player has started more Premier League fixtures for the North London side, and this has been down in part to injury problems suffered by Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott.
Now the Emirates Stadium side will look to bring in Lukaku, who has more than proven himself at Premier League level, and have earmarked the capture of the Chelsea man as a summer transfer window priority.
Jose Mourinho is keen to bring in new signings this summer but is also wary of UEFA’s FFP (Financial Fair Play) guidelines and the size of his expansive squad could well become an issue, hence the Portuguese manager’s willingness to trim the size of his playing staff to help make way for new additions.
Arsenal have attempted to keep their interest in Lukaku under wraps, in the knowledge that a number of other sides may well be ready to make their interest known, which is likely to lead to a bidding war for the Chelsea star.
SEE ALSO: PES 2014 best players: the 20 highest ranked players on Pro Evolution Soccer 2014.