Arsenal set to beat Barcelona to £13.4m striker as Wenger bolsters squad ahead of title tilt

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Arsenal look set to beat Barcelona to the signing to Celta Vigo hitman Nolito, according to reports in Spain.

Mundo Deportivo report that while Barca are stalling on meeting the player’s €18 million buy-out clause—the equivalent of just over £13.4 million—the Gunners are primed to meet the fee and discuss terms with Nolito.

The news ought to come as some encouragement, with Arsene Wenger appearing to shake off his traditional conservatism and invest in order to give the Gunners the best possible chance of ending their long wait for the Premier League title.

After 20 matches, the north London heavyweights sit atop the pile, having amassed 42 points from their games to date. Ahead of this week’s clash against Liverpool, they find themselves two points ahead of Leicester City in second and three ahead of Manchester City in third.

However, familiar injury concerns have haunted Wenger’s squad, with the likes of Theo Walcott, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all spending time on the sidelines during the campaign due to injury.

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Nolito, who has bagged eight goals in 15 La Liga outings so far this campaign, is in good form, and could bring some mid-season impetus, although it remains to be seen how long it would take for the 29-year-old to find his feet in England, with Roberto Soldado’s struggles at neighbours Tottenham Hotspur a familiar memory.

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