Arsenal in race with Liverpool to sign £25m striker after bust-up with teammates | Football

Arsenal and Liverpool are both considering a move for Udinese striker Lorenzo Lucca, according to reports in Italy.

The 24-year-old has been in impressive form for Udinese this season, scoring 10 goals in Serie A so far.

According to Messaggero Veneto, both Arsenal and Liverpool are keeping tabs on Lucca’s situation ahead of the summer transfer window.

However, the report claims that they also face competition from Nottingham Forest, while Lucca has been ‘sounded out’ by Atletico Madrid.

Udinese, who currently sit 10th in Serie A, are holding out for a €30 million (£25.1m) fee for their striker.

Last month, Lucca caused friction with his Udinese teammates after he took the ball off club captain, Florian Thauvin, to take a penalty against Lecce.

Lucca, a towering striker at 6ft 7in, scored the spot kick following a heated argument and was not joined by his teammates during the celebrations.

The Italy forward was then substituted by Udinese’s head coach, Kosta Runjaic, in the 37th minute.

‘I made the decision because someone who is not following the rules in that moment is not showing respect for the whole team,’ Runjaic said after the incident.

‘And we are a team. All that we have achieved so far as a team, these 36 points, was a team performance. So nobody’s bigger than the team, nobody’s bigger than the club.

‘Such things happen. I’m quite clear and I’m quite calm. We’ll speak about this, but it’s not for me a big story.’

Lucca has also indicated that he is keen to leave Udinese in order to improve his chances of starting for Italy’s national side.

‘To be a starter means to be one of the 11 best Italians,’ Lucca said in an interview with Sportweek in January.

‘To do that would mean playing for one of the top teams in Italy or abroad.’

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