Rumour: Aresnal to use funds from Chelsea’s signing of Cesc Fabregas to launch Mario Balotelli bid

Mario Balotelli smiles during an Italy training session at the Arena Amazonia on June 13, 2014 in Manaus, Brazil.

Arsenal have received a reported £5.5million as part of the deal to take Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona to Chelsea this summer and the Daily Star believe that Arsene Wenger will use that windfall as part of a bid to bring Mario Balotelli to the Emirates.

Arsenal had inserted a clause into the deal that saw Fabregas join Barcelona three years ago entitling them to 50% of any profit made on their former captain and with Fabregas now having moved to to Premier League rivals Chelsea on Thursday, the Gunners have received extra funding to top up their summer transfer kitty.

This has now brought Wenger’s total transfer money up to the £100million mark and he will look to spend a large chunk of that this summer, with Balotelli topping his wishlist as he looks for a proven striker to lead the line next season.

A striker has been pinpointed as the priority for the Gunners in the summer having come under criticism for failing to sign one in the past two transfer windows, leaving Olivier Giroud as the only senior striker at the club.

Balotelli has suggested that he would be willing to leave AC Milan this summer after becoming despondent with the situation at the club, with La Rossonieri failing to qualify for Europe at all, while Milan themselves have suggested they could look to flog the Italian striker to raise funds for a summer rebuild.

In the meantime, Balotelli will be undertaking international duties as part of Italy’s World Cup set-up, which will first see the Azzurri take on England this Saturday.

Wenger is hoping his additional funds can now put him in pole position for Balotelli’s signature, with French club Monaco also believed to be preparing a bid.