Arsenal prepare cut-price move for Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno

Arsenal are preparing a summer swoop for Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno, who has a £3m ($5m) release clause in his current contract, according to the Daily Mirror.

The 23-year-old has scored 16 goals in the current campaign and has caught the eye of several clubs across Europe who are looking to make a push for the forward. With only a year left on his current contract and the player showing no interest in renewing it, he could be a massive swoop for the Gunners, who are likely to release Lukas Podolski and Joel Campbell in the summer.

The Gunners are also looking to tie Theo Walcott down to a new contract and with Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez scoring goals, they do not need big names to fill their attack but players who can come into the squad and do a job in case of an injury to someone in the frontline.

Arsenal scouts have repeatedly watched the player this season and though he is not on their priority list for the summer, Wenger wants to keep an eye on him for a possible bargain before the end of the transfer window.

However, much will depend on the form of Danny Welbeck, who after his much acclaimed move from Manchester United, has offered little in terms of goal scoring, something which he has to work on in pre-season.

The Gunners are in the market for a striker, with Karim Benzema being linked with a shock move to the Emirates from Real Madrid. A defensive midfielder, in spite of the emergence of Francis Coquelin, is also being looked at as a priority for the Gunners with Morgan Schneiderlin being touted for a move to north London.

Meanwhile, the Gunners approach what is arguably their most important game of the season in the final of the FA Cup against Aston Villa, where anything less than a win can pour cold water over their achievements this season.