Arsenal Transfer News: Lorenzo Insigne Agent Reacts to Rumours on Napoli Future

Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne appears to have dashed Arsenal's chances of signing him in January, with the player's agent confirming his intention to stay at the Serie A club. 

Antonio Ottaiano told Naples station Radio CRC (h/t David Wright of the Express) his player has no desire to leave the club, dedicating his future to the San Paolo stadium:

"

His contract expires in 2019 and Lorenzo Insigne has repeatedly said that he wants to stay at Napoli for life.

If all the prerequisites are in place for it to happen, the engagement will become a marriage. The club believes in Lorenzo, they consider him crucial to the future of Napoli.

The big clubs saw Lorenzo as an exciting prospect at first, now they’re probably casting admiring glances at him.

They’ll have to give up though, Lorenzo is a Napoli player until 2019, and not only is he happy, he wants to win in a blue shirt.

"

Luca Bruno/Associated Press

Wright said Gunners boss Arsene Wenger planned to reignite his interest in the Italy international in the winter transfer window, with the 24-year-old in sensational form for Napoli this season. 

Insigne has scored six goals and provided three assists for his team-mates in eight Serie A games this year, according to WhoScored.com. 

The attacker can also slot comfortably into midfield.

However, it can be argued Arsenal simply do not need another floating wide player with versatility, with numbers short in the striker's role.

Wenger doesn't appear to agree with this assessment, recently stating he has faith in Theo Walcott to provide the goals from the point of the attack, as quoted by Mark Bryans of the Independent: "I believe he [Walcott] can be a central striker. But at the start of the season, I faced questions from everybody: 'why don't you buy a central striker?' So sometimes you have to have strong beliefs and show the players as well that you believe in them in that position."

The 26-year-old England international's early-season form as a striker confirms Wenger's thoughts, scoring twice and providing two assists in the Premier League, per WhoScored.

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Olivier Giroud has also provided goals from the bench in his cameo role this term, leaving Wenger stocked with the firepower he needs to mount a challenge for the Premier League title. 

Bleacher Report's Arsenal writer James McNicholas believes the manager has chosen wisely to stick with his current strikers, saying the Gunners could move to a 4-4-2 if the Frenchman focuses on finding a new midfielder instead: 

Insigne is an emerging talent, and may feel he needs to step up to join a viable Champions League contender in the years ahead—but for now it seems he will fall off Arsenal's radar. 

However, Wenger is only one injury away from desperately needing to add a striker, with Walcott's injury record giving Arsenal fans cause for doubt in the coming months.  

Giroud has done well in his role from the bench during the new campaign, but he does not have the quality to be Arsenal's primary striker if Walcott is injured.