Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Gunners Must Make Luis Suarez Top Priority This Summer

Arsenal appear determined to land top-flight striker Luis Suarez this summer, and who can blame them?

The Gunners are just a few elite pieces away from challenging Manchester United for the English Premier League crown this coming season, and signing Suarez would ensure that Arsene Wenger's squad would be a contender in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

According to the Mirror's John Cross on Monday, Arsenal are prepared to make a £40 million bid for Liverpool's controversial forward:

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Arsene Wenger will go back with a make-or-break £40million bid for Liverpool’s Luis Suarez.

Wenger has identified Suarez as his No.1 target and Arsenal are determined to show they mean business by testing Liverpool’s resolve and their transfer clause.

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Wenger and Arsenal deserve credit for pursuing Suarez so aggressively this offseason. Since Robin van Persie's departure a year ago, the club has lacked a world-class finisher in the final third, and Suarez has the potential to fill that role right away. 

The Uruguayan international has an unrivaled nose for goal, as evidenced by his 23 goals in league play for Liverpool last season, but can also create opportunities for his teammates. 

Like other elite goalscorers, Suarez's presence alone is a huge plus. He demands tons of attention from opposing defenses and thus his fellow attackers find open lanes for scoring chances more often. On top of that, Suarez is an unselfish player who will consistently make hard runs at the goal and pass up a shot to get a teammate an easier one.

That's why Arsenal must make him their No. 1 transfer priority this summer. 

Suarez is a game-changing type of talent and at age 26 is set to enter the prime of his career in the coming seasons. With the Gunners eligible for the UEFA Champions League in 2013-14, there's no better time than now for them to go all-in for the Reds star.

Plus, Wenger and the club's higher-ups will look better in the eye of Arsenal supporters, who will at least take a bit of comfort in knowing that the club is looking to improve by all means necessary and by pulling out all the stops financially to contend next season.

With Suarez headlining Arsenal's lineup, the Gunners would become an instant threat to Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea atop the Premier League. But even better, Arsenal would become a threat to all of Europe again, challenging the best club teams on the planet for UEFA Champions League supremacy with Suarez leading the way.

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