Arsenal have been given the green light to complete a move for Edinson Cavani after Laurent Blanc and the Paris Saint-Germain camp decided to pull the trigger on a sale involving the prolific Uruguayan striker.
Cavani and PSG have never felt like a match made in heaven, especially with Zlatan Ibrahimovic firmly taking up that place alongside the French club, and a move away from the Parc des Princes has always been on the cards.
The English Premier League has looked like the most likely destination, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all linked with transfers along with Arsenal. Indeed, it is believed Liverpool tried, but failed, in a move to try and sign Cavani last summer, with the striker then making peace with Blanc after receiving assurances he would be played as a central striker.
However, with Ibrahimovic still very much the main man at PSG, Cavani continues to play second fiddle, which has led to the possibility of a move away in the January transfer window.
Blanc has now given up hope of keeping Cavani a happy chappy at PSG, and is ready to sell the forward in the January transfer window, with Arsenal reportedly leading the £50 million race, according to the Daily Express.
Arsene Wenger admitted last week that he has no qualms anymore about spending big in the transfer market, considering Arsenal now have money available.
Cavani would be the kind of signing that just lifts a team's spirits up, and Arsenal could certainly use a player of his calibre, even if the club are woefully short in the central defensive and defensive midfield department.
If Wenger can find the money in January to pull off the major Cavani signing and still have enough to sign a defensive midfielder and a central defender, then things will certainly look up for Arsenal in the second half of the season.
But that will probably remain a dream for Gooners, with Wenger usually quite reluctant to spend big in the January transfer window – one, so that it does not disrupt his current squad too much, and two, because the marquee players are very rarely available in the middle of the season.
However, there is always an exception to the rule, and Cavani might just be that exception, with Wenger a known admirer of the striker's qualities. Having bought Danny Welbeck in the summer to help reduce the burden on Olivier Giroud, though, just don't bank on it, unless, of course, Arsenal are able to persuade PSG to a swap deal involving Giroud, and plenty of cash.
