Arsenal are ready to go all out in their pursuit of a new striker after they successfully loaned out both Chuba Akpom and Yaya Sanogo to free up space.

Hull City will have Akpom’s services for the 2015/16 season, a striker with an exciting future ahead of him. The 19-year-old scored a hat-trick for the Gunners in a pre-season friendly in Singapore, and Arsene Wenger wants to ensure the player gets plenty of game time. Ajax completed the signing of Yaya Sanogo on loan last month, with a view to buying the Frenchman.

It all means that Arsenal have just Olivier Giroud as an out and out striker in their squad, with Wenger using Walcott as a bit-part striker and preferring Welbeck on the left hand side.

Reports that Arsenal could be in for Karim Benzema may well be factual, but as it stands the Gunners are pursuing their interest in Juventus striker Fernando Llorente. Arsenal are certain they can acquire their man if they stump up a bid of around £10m for the Spaniard, but want to be certain that Benzema is a no-go before committing.

Sevilla are Arsenal’s main rivals for the 6ft 5 striker. The La Liga side have seen an £8.5m offer rejected by Juve, but are keen to replace Carlos Bacca who they sold to AC Milan this summer.

Spanish source Mundo Deportivo has claimed Arsenal have already “held talks with Llorente’s agent over a switch” while Italy’s Corriere dello Sport says that the Spaniard sent his representative last week “to agree the deal”.