Arsenal Transfer News: Gonzalo Higuain, Olivier Giroud Swap, Top Gunners Rumours

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will reportedly offer Olivier Giroud in exchange for Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain as he looks to add greater firepower to his attack ahead of the 2016-17 season. 

Per GianlucaDiMarzio.com (via Luke Gardener in the Daily Star), Wenger is not prepared to meet the Serie A club's asking price for Higuain and will use Giroud as a bargaining chip after Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri watched the Frenchman in Sunday's Euro 2016 final at the Stade de France.

It has previously been reported Napoli will only sell Higuain if his £78 million release clause is met, per Argentinian radio show Closs Continental (via Andrew Richardson in the Sun).

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Italian football writer Tancredi Palmeri), including Giroud in any deal would only require Arsenal to splash out €60 million (£50.7 million) in cash to sign Higuain:

While still a massive outlay, Arsenal need a more clinical striker, and top-level front men are hard to come by in the current market.

Giroud is effective in fits and starts but has never managed to net more than 16 goals in a Premier League season, per WhoScored.com.

If Arsenal are to win the title next term they surely need a striker capable of scoring at least 20 goals in the English top flight.

Higuain, 28, returned a stunning 36 Serie A goals in 35 appearances in 2015-16, per WhoScored.

While he recently came in for further criticism after failing to capitalise on opportunities with the Argentina national team at the Copa America Centenario, his club form has been consistently impressive in recent years, per Italian football expert David Amoyal:

At both Napoli and former club Real Madrid he has been prolific, earning a reputation as a clinical finisher. That is not something that can necessarily be said of Giroud at club level, and Higuain would be an upgrade on the Frenchman at Arsenal.

Meanwhile, long-term Arsenal target Julian Draxler will reportedly be allowed to leave Wolfsburg for £52 million.

The Gunners remain "keen" on signing the Germany international, 22, and Draxler himself has reportedly told Wolfsburg he wants to move on, per MailOnline's Simon Jones.

The attacking midfielder has started to make good on his huge potential and put in a stellar performance against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final last season, an indication that he can step up against the best, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:

Alongside Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and, perhaps, Higuain at Arsenal he could be lethal, but the Gunners will have to be prepared to spend big to secure his signing.