Arsenal are on the verge of agreeing a deal to sign Russia international striker Alexandre Kokorin in the January transfer window.
Kokorin was linked with a move to the Emirates in the summer window, but a deal did not go through, keeping the striker at Dynamo Moscow.
However, Arsenal are ready to pursue the 24-year-old again in January, with Dynamo Moscow willing to sell the striker for a cut-price £4.3million, in order to prevent Kokorin from leaving the Russian side on a free transfer in the summer.
Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with Kokorin, according to the Metro, who cite a report in Russian newspaper Izvestia, and a deal will be agreed in the January transfer window.
The only thing that remains to be seen is if Kokorin will move next month or if Arsenal will wait until the end of the season, before landing the striker on a free.
Arsene Wenger has admitted he is willing to bring in players in the January transfer window, but only if he finds the right quality.
If Kokorin is the quality that Wenger is looking for is up for debate, because the forward is not exactly the most prolific.
Arsenal, if they are looking to sign a striker, need someone who can usurp Giroud from the starting lineup, and Kokorin is not someone who looks capable of doing that, at least not immediately.
But then, world-class strikers are extremely rare in football at the moment, and maybe Wenger sees that ability in Kokorin.
Wenger does like to buy potential and then turn a player into a world-class star, particularly strikers, and even if Kokorin will turn 25 in about three months, maybe Wenger sees the Russia international as someone capable of becoming great.
