Italians favourites to land strike ace

Arsenal look set to lose out to Juventus in the race to sign Seville striker Fernando Llorente, reports have claimed.

The Gunners need for goals was again highlighted last night as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat against Schalke, which came off the back of Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Norwich and Arsene Wenger is keen to land another striker. Llorente appeals as he is set to fall out of contract at the end of the season and will be free to talk to other clubs in January. There is even a chance he could leave for a small fee in the new year as Seville look to recoup some cash but reports in Spain claim that Juve are favourites to do a deal either way. The Turin giants are ready to pay the 27-year-old in the region of £145,000 a week, a figure that would smash Arsenal's wage structure, something Wenger will be unwilling to do. The Frenchman will be hoping that Olivier Giroud finally starts to get among the goals but if he doesn't then another striker will be needed if the Gunners are to have any chance of winning silverware this season.