Arsenal handed boost in chase for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain

Arsenal have received a boost in their chase for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuaín with the Serie A side said to be open to letting the forward move to a club outside Italy, rather than see him join rivals Juventus this summer. The Gunners are in the market for a striker and have been linked a number of players with the Argentine striker's name being the most frequently mentioned in recent weeks.

Napoli chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis has made it clear that any club interested in signing last season's Serie A top scorer will have to meet his €94m (£78.8m, $104m) release clause, which is likely to put off a number of suitors. They are keen to retain their top scorer, who still has two years to run on his current deal, but could make a decision to offload him as his agent has confirmed that they will not be signing an extension with their current employers.

According to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, however, Napoli are willing to rethink their stance on the release clause and could possibly reduce the asking price, but only for a club outside Italy. The Gunners are on the lookout for a striker and Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he is willing to spend "big money" if the club find the right candidate and a reduced asking price could tempt the Frenchman to make a move for the Argentina international.

"I am sure that my chief executive didn't want to dampen the expectations on that front. We are very active. If we find the right candidates then we will spend the big money," Wenger said following Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Lens in their first pre-season friendly, as quoted on Arsenal's official site.

The north London club are not the only club interested in the striker, with the report claiming that Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain could also make a move as they search for a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who joined Manchester United on a free transfer earlier in the month.