Arsenal face £25million Michu transfer fee if they want to buy Swansea star

London calling: Will Michu move end Arsenal's
summer-long search for a striker?

Welsh club believe they can demand that sum as part of Spaniard's new contract PLUS Micah Richards also on Gunners' radar.

Arsenal will be told to pay £25million to make Michu their transfer Plan B.

And the Gunners also face a battle if they follow up on enquiries made over Manchester City ­defender Micah Richards.

Having seen bids for Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney rejected this summer, Arsenal are being forced to consider alternatives before the transfer window shuts on September 2.

Arsenal have not given up on Suarez yet and are likely to submit a new offer, but the club are being forced to plan for the possibility they will not land the Uruguayan.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis has made fresh moves over Rooney, but Chelsea remain confident of landing the England man despite Manchester United’s insistence he will not be sold.

Forward Michu is understood to be among a B-list of possibilities for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, but Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins is prepared to play hardball.

Jenkins convinced Michu to sign a new contract with the Swans that runs until 2016 in January as reward for the 27-year-old’s impressive start to life in England.

And as part of that deal, Jenkins believes he has an agreement with Michu that Swansea can ­demand £25m from any interested rivals.

Michu scored 22 goals for Swansea last season, one less than Christian Benteke netted for Aston Villa in his first English campaign.

And having seen Villa refuse to budge over their £25m valuation of Benteke this summer, Jenkins is equally ­determined that Michu would only leave Wales for big money.

One nugget of encouragement for Wenger is the fact Swansea are still looking for new forwards and Michu would be interested in moving to London.

Other than chasing a new striker, Wenger is also on the hunt for a midfielder and a defender who can play in the centre or on the right.

Richards

Richards fits the defensive bill ­perfectly and Arsenal have revived an ­interest in the ex-England star over the past 10 days.

They will wait to see whether ­Richards is given significant action during City’s opening games before deciding whether to launch a late bid.

Richards still has two years to go on his contract and the club have offered a new deal that he is yet to sign.

Atletico Madrid full-back Juanfran is another defender who interests Arsenal, while Arsenal scouts are also keeping a close eye on PSV Eindhoven’s Belgian wonderkid Zakaria Bakkali.

The Mirrror