Arsenal Transfer News: Mattia Destro Talks Begin, Latest Edinson Cavani Rumours

Despite the rather glaring need for central defenders, sections of the press believe Arsenal will pursue strikers during the January transfer window.

Mattia Destro and Edinson Cavani apparently remain on the radar for Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. In fact, deals for the pair are said to be progressing.

AS Roma striker Destro even sent his agent to north London on Tuesday to iron out a deal. That's according to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, per Metro reporter Jamie Sanderson.

The reports state Destro's agent, Claudio Vigorelli, has started talks to transfer the player valued at £15 million by the Italian capital city club.

Gregorio Borgia/Associated Press

Destro, a 23-year-old Italy international, is certainly talented. He's quick-witted and decisive in and around the box.

However, he's hardly been prolific. Destro has hit just 38 Serie A goals since emerging with Genoa back in 2010, per WhoScored.com. Yet that has supposedly done little to dim Wenger's interest.

Daily Star reporter Rhys Turrell recently made a rather tenuous link between an Arsenal bid for Villarreal centre-back Gabriel Paulista and an eventual move for Destro. Turrell maintained that the Spanish side's desire to loan Gunners striker Joel Campbell would prompt Wenger bidding for Destro.

B/R analyst Sam Tighe highlighted proverbial "fox in the box" qualities that could make Destro appealing to a number of clubs:

Frankly though, it would be surprising if Arsenal were among them. Yes, Wenger has thinned his striking resources recently by sending both Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo out on loan.

But the Gunners chief still has Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck, Theo Walcott, Alexis Sanchez and Campbell to work with. There's also the not-so-small matter of Wenger repeatedly identifying defensive reinforcements as his priority in this window.

The Frenchman recently described not securing a new defender this month as "too risky," per BBC Sport. His determination to add to his options at the back has even led Wenger to rule out other targets.

He was quick to dismiss talk of a move for Borussia Dortmund playmaker Ilkay Gundogan on this basis, per Arsenal.com, saying frankly, "He’s not a defender. At the moment we are more looking for the defensive department."

That's why it's as easy to dismiss talk of Destro as it is to frown on rumours of interest in Cavani. Daily Express reporter Ben Jefferson has seized on a comment made by Paris Saint-Germain manager Laurent Blanc to Spanish television station beIN Sports.

Francois Mori/Associated Press

Blanc stated it was possible one of his star players, including Cavani, could leave. But the manager was quick to say his club had received no offers.

This has been taken as the cue to revive talk of a mega-money bid from the Gunners. A previous story in the Express, per the London Evening Standard, suggested Arsenal will bid £45 million for the powerful Uruguayan.

It seems more than just fanciful to think Wenger will pursue such a deal for Cavani, at least this month. He's spelled out his squad's current pressing need.

Any deviation from signing a new defender this month will look like reckless spending on luxuries Arsenal don't need.