Sport.co.uk understands that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not be making a January move for FC Cluj striker Lacina Traore, dubbed the “New Adebayor.” However, Sport.co.uk can confirm that the Gunners are interested in the player but work permit issue have hindered progress being made on a move this month.
Traore has not been capped by the Ivory Coast and despite good form this term was omitted from his homeland's African Cup of Nations squad. For non-EU footballers to gain a work permit in the United Kingdom applicants must have played 75 per cent of international fixtures over the previous two years.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has covertly tracked the player for the last year sending a number of scouts to watch the 6 ft 8in striker but will now wait until the end of the season to assess his options before making a move for the 19-year-old hitman.
A representative of the player, who asked to remain un-named told Sport.co.uk:
“I have been in touch with one scout from Arsenal that is all I can really say. I can confirm that it is true that they are interested in Lacina, but they will not make an offer during the January transfer window for him.
“His work permit is an issue for England, and this is the reason Arsenal will not be pursuing him in January. But the summer is different. However in Italy this isn’t a problem.”
Earlier last week in an exclusive interview with Sport.co.uk Traore’s senior representative, Thomas Boehm, made clear that Arsenal had not contacted him personally, but confirmed that the player’s club FC Cluj had been approached. Boehm also confirmed that a host of top European clubs were preparing bids for his client.
“The situation regarding Traore is as follows; the player and I are aware of the rumours of interest from Arsenal, but there are other clubs interested as well in the player. I can confirm that no one from Arsenal has contacted me directly," Boehm told Sport.co.uk.
“I have had no information from Arsenal regarding the player. The only contact is with FC Cluj, nobody from Arsenal has called me, and the only interest I have received is from other clubs. We will have to wait and see.”
The president of FC Cluj, Iuliua Muresan, revealed yesterday that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had enquired about the possibility of signing the lanky hit-man dubbed the “new Adebayor.”
Speaking to Romanian sports publication Prosport, he stated:
"We have had contact from Arsenal but we have not received a concrete offer yet."Four million euros is close to the amount we are seeking."
In response to the transfer rumours linking the Ivorian with a move to the Emirates, the player told the Romanian media how a January move to the Gunners would be a dream come true.
"It would be a dream for me to get to play on a team so great. I have a chance there because Arsene Wenger relies heavily on young players. There is great pressure on me now because I am being linked with big European clubs, but this is my ambition.
"The Ivory Coast coach has already told me I will get my chance with the national team, but my chances of that happening would certainly increase if I was to join a big team like Arsenal.
"It is sensational to hear Wenger is watching me. I could be a success in England.
"Even though I am still young, I have a lot of experience and a lot of ambition. Wherever I go it will be hard at first, but I'm sure I would settle in."
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