Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United Handed Jackson Martinez Transfer Boost

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Porto Striker Jackson Martinez.

According to the Express, the Colombian striker was courted by the Premier League big guns earlier in the summer, but were put off by the £35m fee demanded by his employers. The clubs might now rekindle their interest in the striker after it was revealed that Porto will accept a substantially lower fee.

Arsenal are on the market to strengthen their squad, with Olivier Giroud the only out-and-out striker in the first-team set up. Chelsea on the other hand, will look to add cover following the departures of Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is also an admirer of the striker, and could be tempted to bring the player to Old Trafford to pair him with star forward Robin van Persie.

The 27-year-old striker has been in top form for his current employers and has attracted interest from Europe's top clubs in the past as well. Apart from the English clubs, Italian clubs AC Milan and AS Roma have shown interest in the Colombian forward. However, the stumbling block has always been the price demanded by Porto.

But the player's agent, Peppino Tirri, has come out and dispelled the fears regarding the valuation of the player, which might open a bidding war from the clubs interested in acquiring the striker's services.

"I have not had any contact with Milan for Martinez recently," Tirri said, as quoted in the Express.

"He is a player that [Milan vice-president] Adriano Galliani really likes, as he has admitted in public."

"Roma have also been thinking about a purchase. His price-tag? It is, as has been reported, over €20m [£16m]," the Porto striker's agent added.

Martinez has earlier in the summer spoken about his future at Porto, and suggested that he was open to move to a different club. The striker also confirmed that, if Arsenal came asking, his answer will be in the positive as the Gunners were the team he cheered for as a kid.