Rumour: Arsenal are set to miss out on Nuremberg hitman Josip Drmic

Josip Drmic (C) of Nuernberg wins the ball against Slobodan Medojevic (L) and Maximilian Arnold of Wolfsburg during the Bundesliga match between 1. FC Nuernberg and VfL Wolfsburg at Grundig Stadium on November 23, 2013

Arsenal have been dealt another blow in their summer transfer plans as reports are suggesting that Nuremberg striker Josip Drmic is set to seal a move to Bayer Leverkusen, according to Bild.

The Bundesliga hitman had been closely linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium but the story coming out from Germany suggests he has agreed a move to the BayArena.

This comes after another Bundesliga snub for Arsene Wenger, as Leverkusen’s Lars Bender ruled out a Arsenal transfer.

The Switzerland international striker, who has an impressive 19 goals for relegation-threatened Nuremberg this season, was a target for Arsenal and fellow Premier League rivals, Tottenham, West Ham and Everton, with all four clubs poised to activate his reported £4.5 million release clause.

Germany’s 1990 World Cup winning captain, Lothar Matthaus, has previously claimed the striker’s switch to Arsenal was a formality.

“Although now Dortmund, Gladbach and Leverkusen all have an interest. I’m saying: Josip Drmic will switch to Arsenal.”

The former German captain added: “I made a mistake. I said his wife was already looking for apartments. The fact is that this is his girlfriend. Drmic has had a girlfriend for nine months. She has lived five or six months with him in Nuremberg.”