Arsenal are weighing up a transfer move for AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli this summer, reports John Cross of the Daily Mirror.
According to the article, the Serie A club are looking to "offload" the former Manchester City forward and the Gunners have been approached over a possible move.
Cross also notes that Arsene Wenger has previously spoken of his admiration for Balotelli before his move to the Etihad Stadium from Inter Milan.
But the Italy international, 23, would not come without baggage after a controversial spell with City, which included an unnecessary red card at the Emirates Stadium in April 2012, as Phil McNulty of BBC Sport reported at the time.
Samuel Eto'o will be a free agent this summer following his 2013-14 campaign with Chelsea, and the striker reportedly has his mind set on a move to Arsenal.
The Gunners are in need of some competition for current starter Olivier Giroud and will be looking at a number of forwards during the upcoming transfer window, but Eto'o will not be the answer to their striker conundrum.
The Mirror's John Cross claims Eto'o is looking at Arsenal as the perfect situation to show Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho that he was wrong to doubt the Cameroon forward:
Samuel Eto'o wants to join Arsenal this summer - to prove Jose Mourinho wrong.
Eto’o’s representatives have made overtures to Arsenal to alert them about the Cameroon striker’s availability as a free agent. They have made it clear that Eto’o wants to go to the Emirates and that is his number one priority.
Arsenal are keen to strengthen their strike force and are close to a deal for Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Morata but the Spanish giants are insisting on a buy-back clause.
But Arsenal will need more than one striker and Eto’o, 33, could be an option after he was left enraged by Mourinho’s comments earlier in the season when he questioned his age in damning remarks about his strikers.
The 33-year-old joined Chelsea last season and had a somewhat limited impact for the Blues, scoring 12 goals in 30 appearances, per WhoScored.com
A mercurial talent in his prime, Eto'o did most of his damage on the pitch, using his incredible athleticism to put himself in position. At Internazionale and Barcelona, Eto'o didn't need his teammates to score—he'd use brute force to take care of that himself.
The 33-year-old no longer has that kind of athleticism, and while he's still a useful player, he's no longer world class.
He's still a big name, however, and he won't be joining Arsenal to become part of that team's strike force. He wants to lead, and to show everyone that Chelsea made a mistake in letting him go.
There's traditionally very little risk in signing a veteran player on a free transfer, but Eto'o might be an exception. Arsene Wenger shouldn't risk upsetting the balance of his team for a player who couldn't convince rivals Chelsea he still has what it takes.
Piers Morgan also isn't too keen on the thought of Eto'o joining his favourite club:
Arsenal are very close to competing for a Premier League title, and a multitude of injuries late in the year highlighted the team's need for depth. But signing a 33-year-old who won't be happy with a role on the bench isn't the answer.
Eto'o was a phenomenal talent during his prime, but at this point in his career, a lucrative move to the MLS or the Middle East seems to be the logical thing to do.
Source: Bleacher Report
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