Simeone ready to upset Arsenal in striker chase.
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Arsenal gossip
Atletico Madrid are the latest in a long line of clubs to be strongly linked with a move to sign in-demand Porto striker Jackson Martinez this summer, according to Spanish publication AS.
The La Liga giants are described as being on the lookout for a new signing up front ahead of next season, with AS reporting that the club are close to selling current front-man Mario Mandzukic to Italian giants Juventus.
Martinez’s fine form for Porto has also seen him linked with the likes of Arsenal and AC Milan in recent times, though AS now says those two clubs will face serious competition from Atletico for the Colombian international’s signature.
A bid of £25m is expected, and it looks like the 29-year-old could be a great buy for Diego Simeone’s side as they look to improve on their current attacking options with the view to mounting a more serious title challenge in Spain next term.
Having lost big players like Diego Costa and Radamel Falcao in the last few years, Atletico have done remarkably well to keep replacing their star talent, and Martinez for Mandzukic could even be seen as an upgrade in some people’s eyes.
A quick statistical comparison shows that while Martinez has struck a superb 92 goals in his last 132 games, all coming in his three seasons as a Porto player, his Croatian counterpart has managed only 68 in that time with Bayern Munich and Atletico, playing only two fewer games. Of course, it could also be said that he has been delivering the goods in more competitive leagues than the standard of competition in Portugal.
Still, given Atletico’s track record with striker signings, one would have to trust their judgement in bringing in Martinez, who, as AS confirm, has also been tracked by numorous other big clubs in recent times.