Arsenal are growing increasingly desperate for a striker as transfer deadline day approaches, and were recently linked with a move for Juventus striker Simone Zaza. However, the Gunners have turned their attention elsewhere, and West Ham United are now on the verge of signing the Italian.

Arsenal were reportedly offered the option of purchasing Italian striker Simone Zaza of Juventus as an alternative to their top attacking target Alexandre Lacazette. However, the latest news from the Gunners camp is that they are now looking to sign up 27-year-old Spanish forward Lucas Perez from Deportivo de la Coruna.

Zaza may still end up in London though, as long time admirers West Ham United have stepped up their efforts to sign him before the transfer window closes. In fact, the deal should be closed within the next few days, as the club’s representatives will be meeting the striker’s father to agree personal terms, according to reputed Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

The report reveals the financial details of the deal, stating that the transfer fee will be €28 million including bonuses. It also adds that the Italian striker will be offered €3.5 million a year in wages.

London calling Zaza (Photo Credit: EPA/Di Marco)
London calling Zaza (Photo Credit: EPA/Di Marco)

Simone Zaza may be best known for his hilarious and absolutely bizzarre penalty miss in the penalty shoot-out between Italy and Germany in the Euro 2016 quarter finals. However, the 25-year-old has been a Serie A regular for the past three seasons, playing for Sassuolo and Juventus.

I Bianconeri bought Zaza from Sassuolo last season for €15 million, and the striker repaid them with 8 goals in 24 appearances. He memorably scored the winning goal in one of the most important Serie A matches of the season, as Juventus beat Napoli 1-0 to derail their otherwise crushing run to the Scudetto.

Zaza had been far down the pecking order for most of last season though, with Juventus boasting a well stacked attacking force consisting of Alvaro Morata, Paulo Dybala and Mario Mandzukic. Morata left Juve earlier this summer, but has been replaced by the fourth most expensive football transfer of all time, Gonzalo Higuain.

This means that the situation remains the same for Zaza, and I Bianconeri are more than willing to let him go for the right price. Napoli were also believed to be interested in the Italian, but Juventus would obviously prefer not to strengthen their direct rivals. It seems that West Ham United are in pole position to snap him up in the next few days.

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