Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been told by French side Bordeaux that top striker Marouane Chamakh will cost £7million plus defender Mikael Silvestre.
It is believed that the Arsenal boss offered that sum to Bordeaux but the French club rejected the bid and stated that the deal will never fall through unless former Manchester United star Silvestre is also part of the deal.
It is believed that Wenger sees Chamakh, age 25, as a potential replacement for Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who is believed to be on the verge of a move to Manchester City.
Arsenal signed Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen last month and Silvestre will find himself pushed further down the pecking order at the Emirates.
Chamakh is preparing for life in North London but if Silvestre is not part of the deal, Bordeaux will have no have no hesitation in holding on to their gifted striker for the final year of his contract.