Arsenal have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Mariano Diaz.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz in a bargain deal worth just £18million.
Mariano, 25, only returned to Real Madrid last summer, as they activated a buy-back clause in his contract after seeing him score 21 goals at Lyon.
The striker – who has one cap for the Dominican Republic but may yet switch to play for Spain – struggled for first-team football last season, starting just three La Liga games whilst ending the season with three goals in 13 league outings.
Mariano may now be on the move again, and with Real looking to raise funds after a summer of spending, they’re offering out Diaz to Arsenal for just £18million, which is certainly appealing.
Another factor to add in is rivals Tottenham Hotspur. AS claimed last week that Spurs are keen to land Mariano as competition for Harry Kane, though The Mirror believe they have ‘other priorities’.
Pipping Spurs – if they are keen – would be a major boost for the Gunners, but whether another striker is really the priority is another matter.
Unai Emery already has Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette at his disposal, and he’s found it difficult enough to work those two into a coherent line-up, never mind with another striker in the mix.
Mariano doesn’t even have the added versatility of playing out wide, and with other areas needing major attention, the Gunners may be wise to reject Real’s offer – even if the price is enticing.
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