Arsenal transfer news: Gunners 'to beat West Ham' to Carlos Bacca after missing out on Gonzalo Higuain

The latest transfer news and rumours surrounding the Emirates Stadium

Carlos Bacca has emerged as a possible transfer target for Arsenal (Getty)

Arsenal’s hopes of signing Gonzalo Higuain appear to be waning once again after Juventus entered the race to sign the Napoli striker, with Arsene Wenger seeing his options to strengthen his attack begin to fade.

Having already seen Jamie Vardy turn down a move to the Emirates in favour of staying with the reigning Premier League champions Leicester City, Wenger has been identifying alternative options to add more goals to his side with the likes of Higuain, Alexandre Lacazette and Mauro Icardi all linked with a move to the Premier League.

Arsenal missed out on Higuain in 2013 when, having seemingly won the race to sign the Argentine, Napoli steamed in with a £42.5m offer to sign him from Real Madrid and leave Arsenal empty handed in the striker department.

The failure of Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott to provide enough goals last season to inspire Arsenal’s title challenge has led Wenger to seek a new striker, but it appears the Gunners could be about to miss out on Higuain for the second time in three years.

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Italian champions Juventus have already made contact with Higuain and his agent – his brother Nicolas – to discuss a summer move. Higuain has already rejected a contract extension from Napoli and is believed to want out of Naples after three years with the Italian side, although Juventus have not made any contact with their Serie A rivals.

Higuain does have a release clause in his contract though, and it’s reported that Juventus are willing to activate it – believed to be just shy of £80m – to open official negotiations.

Despite struggling for attacking options – Giroud could miss the start of the season through a lack of fitness while Danny Welbeck is out with injury until well into 2017 – Wenger is reported to have told Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell that he can leave the club.

A report emerged in Spanish newspaper Estadio Deportivo that the 24-year-old has been informed he should seek out a new club to join either on a loan deal or permanently, having struggled for first team opportunities since he returned from his most recent loan spell with Villarreal in 2015.

It’s added that Campbell is wanted by the new Valencia head coach Pako Ayestaran, although AC Milan have also been previously linked with the Costa Rica international.

However, one option to emerge on Arsenal’s radar is the AC Milan striker Carlos Bacca, who was originally wanted by West Ham. 29-year-old Bacca scored 18 times in Serie A last season and has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, although Arsenal; was not thought to be one of them.

That appears to have changed though after The Telegraph reported that Bacca has become Wenger’s first choice target after missing out on Vardy and Higuain.Bacca appeared to rule out any prospect of joining West Ham when he revealed his desire to play in the Champions League – something that could also see him leave Milan – and with the Hammers seeing a £26m offer accepted for the Colombian, Arsenal already know what it will take to lure him to the Premier League.

Carlos Bacca could be on his way to Arsenal instead of West Ham (Getty)

“It’s my dream to play in the Champions League and I work every day for that. I want to play in it with Milan, but unfortunately we won’t be doing so,” Bacca said this week.

“It’s one of the subjects I’m talking about with Milan – that we’re not in Europe and I want to play in the Champions League.

“It depends on Milan’s project this year, on the new investors and the players that arrive. Then we’ll make decisions.”