Mikel Arteta is using his strong admiration for Arsene Wenger as a big reason to pursue one of the best strikers in world football currently.
According to FourFourTwo, Arsenal are one of a number of clubs who may pursue a move for Bayern superstar Robert Lewandowski this summer, after an impasse in contract negotiations with the Bundesliga giants.
The Gunners have been linked with Lewandowski in the past after his successful exploits at Borussia Dortmund, but he decided to join Bayern Munich instead.
However, his concerning contract situation at Bayern gives Arteta the chance to complete a deal that went past Wenger a few years before he ended his 22-year tenure at the club.
Wenger wanted to sign the Polish striker in 2014, which was confirmed by the player himself.
"I can confirm that Wojciech Szczesny tried to convince me to join Arsenal," Lewandowski told the Polish tabloid Fakt.
"We had several talks about this. It was him who did most of the talking, how the club looks inside, what Arsène Wenger thinks of me."
Mikel Arteta’s comments at the Arsene Wenger film premiere in November could highlight a big incentive for Arsenal to reignite their interest in Lewandowski.
Speaking at the Premiere, Arteta said: “ I would like to recover a lot of things that he did and I would like him to be more present at the club.
I think the players would love him, they will benefit, they will be inspired to have him around and I think for the club it would be a huge boost.”
Arteta’s insistence in reintegrating a culture Wenger created at the club shows why Lewandowski would be on the Gunners' radar, aside from the goals he is a certainty to deliver.
Signing a striker is a necessity for the Gunners in the summer transfer window due to the likely departure of Alexandre Lacazette, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the season.
If the Frenchman does depart from the club then the Gunners could be left with just one recognised striker in the form of Folarin Balogun, as Nketiah’s contract is also set to expire at the end of the campaign.
Lewandowski would be a dream signing for the Gunners, but if they want any chance of securing his signature then qualifying for the Champions League will be a necessity ahead of next season.
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