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Napoli target Arsenal's Olivier Giroud as Jackson Martinez move stalls
NAPOLI could turn to Arsenal's Olivier Giroud as they look to sign another striker after a move for Porto's Jackson Martinez stalled.
Napoli have already denied Arsenal one striker this summer after beating the Gunners to the signing of Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid.
But after losing Edinson Cavani to PSG, Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis is keen to provide further support for Higuain and give new boss Rafa Benitez the firepower to put up a strong challenge for the Serie A title next season.
And it was thought De Laurentiis had set his sights on Colombian striker Martinez, with reports even suggesting the Naples club had agreed personal terms with the 26-year-old.
But Porto are insisting that any club wanting to sign Martinez must meet his £35m release clause, a demand that is thought to have dissuaded Liverpool and Tottenham from following up their interest in the player.
Further negotiations between Napoli and Porto are set to take place tomorrow, but it now seems that De Laurentiis is casting his eye around for alternatives should he fail to get the Portugese champions to lower their asking price for Martinez.
And according to reports in Italy, Arsenal's Giroud is one of the names on Napoli's list.
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Napoli see Giroud, who has also been linked with a £15m move to Valencia, as a more readily-available option.
Giroud largely failed to meet expectations in his first season at the Emirates despite scoring 18 goals in all competitions for the Gunners, and Arsenal have spent the summer being linked with striking reinforcements of their own.
A significant bid from Napoli could be enough for Arsene Wenger to consider cutting his losses on Giroud in order to make more compelling bids for the likes of Luis Suarez.
But Napoli are no more likely to be held to ransom over Giroud than they are over Martinez, with reports also linking them with Alvaro Morata of Real Madrid, John Cordoba of Mexico's Jaguares de Chiapas, Pablo Osvaldo or Roma and Palermo's Abel Hernandez.