Rumour: Arsenal to begin £100m spending spree with Real Sociedad’s Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will have £100 million to spend over the summer transfer window and will target Real Sociedad’s French star, Antoine Griezmann, according to Goal.

Wenger spent a record £42.4 million on German Mesut Ozil last summer as he arrived from Real Madrid after the Spaniards spent a world record £86m on Gareth Bale.

The north Londoners have already identified the areas of the squad that need rebuilding as they prepare to make use of a huge transfer kitty.

Apparently, the Gunners want to sign two new forwards, a central midfielder and a goalkeeper. They are also in the market for a new right-back and a new centre-back depending upon whether Bacary Sagna and Thomas Vermaelen remain at the club next season.

Sagna’s contract expires in the summer while Vermaelen may look elsewhere for first-team football.

Meanwhile, one of the forwards Arsenal would like to sign is Real Sociedad’s star man, Griezmann.

The Frenchman has been sensational for the past two seasons now, helping Sociedad to the Champions League last season and continuing his goal-scoring form into the current campaign, making a lot of European clubs sit up and pay attention.

He could be prised from Spain for around £25 million and Arsenal are confident of signing Griezmann but Arsenal have competition from around Europe.

Griezmann has scored 16 goals and created 32 chances in La Liga this season.