After it was revealed yesterday by his agent that he was close to a move, Arsenal target Jackson Martinez’s next destination is looking increasingly like being AC Milan. According to a report by Sky Italia, as relayed here by Tuttomercatoweb, the Rossoneri’s Vice-President Adriano Galliani will be flying to Portugal to finalise a deal with Martinez’s current club Porto.
The Colombian’s release clause is set at €35 million, and Spanish club Valencia currently have the highest bid at €30 million. But according to the report, Milan are confident of meeting the required demands and bringing the in-demand striker to the San Siro next season.
Martinez has been a goalscoring machine during his time in Portugal, scoring 92 times in all competitions in the last three seasons. He has been courted by several clubs in the Premier League including Liverpool, Chelsea and most recently, Arsenal. His strength and physical style of play, along with his ability to score with either foot would make him a great fit in England.
Arsenal are in the market for a centre-forward, with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck clearly not good enough to spearhead their progress towards mounting a challenge for the title. They need a man who guarantees goals, and there are few players in Europe who are more prolific than Martinez.
Liverpool too are looking to find a striker capable of delivering on a regular basis. They have signed Danny Ings from Burnley on a free transfer, but one would feel that a slightly bigger name is needed to fill the void left by Luis Suarez’s departure last summer.
But now it looks like the 28 year-old’s destination is going to be Italy. Milan are a shadow of the side they were a decade ago and finished a lowly 10th in the league last season. Yet, they are proving that they have the ability to attract players like Martinez.
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