Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Edinson Cavani and Lack of Strikers Rumours

Edinson Cavani is reportedly ready to answer the call from Arsenal fans for a new marquee striker. In fact, the prolific Paris Saint-Germain ace will do "everything possible" to join the Gunners in the January transfer window.

That's according to a report from Spanish website Fichajes.net (h/t Metro). Apparently, Cavani feels "unhappy in France and is keen to move on as soon as possible."

This is a rather strange claim. If Cavani is indeed unhappy, he certainly isn't playing as though he is. The same Metro report also details how the Uruguayan has found the net four times in five league matches to start the season.

That number naturally raises two questions: Why would Cavani want to leave Paris, and why would the Ligue 1 giant sell him in this form?

Frankly, the timing of this rumour in general is more than a little off.

Arsenal's need for a striker was played up during the final hours of the summer transfer window. The Gunners were actually linked with Cavani.

Rob Draper of the Daily Mail even suggested a deal hadn't been struck because Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to pay the required fee:

Tension borne from Wenger's reticence to recruit a new striker was exacerbated by the recent news Danny Welbeck is set to miss a significant portion of the season due to surgery.

Yet despite the numbers being thinned, Wenger remains bullish about his current strikers. Referring to incumbent trio Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott, Wenger believes Arsenal have enough goals in their current ranks, per Goal.com: “I think Giroud, Walcott and Sanchez can get around 20 goals without any problem."

The Gunners chief may not find many supporters for that view. Indeed, current target man Giroud is struggling for form.

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His problems have even prompted former Arsenal striker Charlie Nicholas, now a pundit on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, to call for Wenger to drop the former Montpellier man in favour of Walcott (h/t SkySports.com).

Whatever Wenger decides, he must soon find a solution to a problem he believes can only be solved from within.

Arsenal Boss Claims There Are No Top Strikers in Europe

Wenger has bemoaned the lack of quality strikers available in today's game, particularly on the European market, according to the Guardian's Amy Lawrence. The Gunners boss suggested today's managers have to look further afield for marquee centre-forwards: “The strikers are South American today. Europe doesn’t produce strikers any more.”

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Wenger believes academies must do more to develop true finishers:

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There is an age from five to 12 where you have the acquisition of the technical skills; at 12-14 you start to develop the speed and physical qualities; but from 14 onwards, when you start to position the players for their careers, maybe you have to work with specificity of a position again. Maybe we have to rethink completely the education and specialise earlier.

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Of course, many will no doubt interpret these words as a cogent counter to Wenger's many critics over his reluctance to spend big on a star striker. Frankly, it's a tricky argument.

If you were to count the top pure strikers in Europe's major leagues, the exercise wouldn't take you too long. It would be quicker still if you limited your tally to top strikers who are available to buy and are actually worth the price tags they command.

That's one side of the argument. The other is that Wenger could have found a good striker ready to be developed into something more, if only he'd taken a chance this summer.

Ex-Sevilla, now AC Milan frontman, Carlos Bacca certainly fits the bill. Like Cavani, he belongs in the South American bracket despite both plying their trades in Europe.

Yet if Wenger couldn't be convinced enough by Cavani to spend big in the summer, a winter move seems highly unlikely. The 28-year-old's price won't get any cheaper, particularly if he carries on scoring.

If the Gunners do continue struggling in front of goal, Wenger will be forced to seek a more cost-effective quick fix in January.