Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Must Add Demba Ba If Robin van Persie Departs

Arsenal must prepare for the worst.

If Robin van Persie spurns the Gunners to sign elsewhere, they must be ready to add more firepower to their football club. That firepower should come in the form of Demba Ba.

Mark Ogden of The Telegraph reported that Manchester City is expected to offer Van Persie a contract this transfer window. If he leaves, Arsenal will be forced the replace the production of a player who scored 30 goals in EPL action this past season.

On Tuesday, Arsenal announced on their club website that striker Oliver Giroud has officially agreed to join the Gunners. They also came to terms with Lukas Podolski earlier this offseason. Of course, Arsene Wenger recruited the two goal scorers with the belief that they’d play with Van Persie, not against him.

The loss of their superstar would negate the improvements that the Gunners have made this offseason and force them to counter if they plan on staying near the top of the Premier League. And the fact that Van Persie is being pursued by a rival only makes matters worse.

But one player who possesses the ability to help ease the pain of such a loss is Demba Ba.

In May, the Daily Mail linked Arsenal to the 27-year-old New Castle United forward. Ba scored 16 goals last year in Barclays Premier League action. While he isn’t on Van Persie’s level, he’s their best option.

Of course, Ba is a bit tangled up right now in buyout clause trouble.

Scott Wilson of the Northern Echo reported that he has a £7m buyout clause in his contract, and his representatives only have until July 31^st to execute a cut-price deal. If a deal goes down, Arsenal can’t hesitate to pull the trigger on the Senegalese footballer.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels