Gunners last men standing in battle for Real hitman Huntelaar

• Arsenal favourites to land striker as Toure undergoes medical at City

LONDON

Arsenal are firm favourites to capture Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar after rivals Toteham Hotspur effectively withdrew their interest in the £17million-rated Dutch international after signing Portsmouth’s Peter Crouch.

The 25-year-old rejected a move to German club Stuttgart last week, preferring a switch to the Premier League after the Gunners registered an interest.

But despite having funds to bankroll the transfer, with defender Kolo Toure’s imminent move to Manchester City set to boost £15million to the club’s coffers, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has hinted he will wait until after the forthcoming Emirates Cup before making any moves into the market.

“At the moment I am more focused on getting everybody fit for the start of the season,” the Frenchman told the London Evening Standard, having already signed Belgian centre-back Thomas Vermaelen and allowed Emmanuel Adebayor to leave.

‘We are looking at opportunities as well. There are still some pre-season games to see what we really need and when the time has come we will do something.

“I wouldn’t like to set a time on it.”

Another reported target for Wenger, Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, is prepared to wait until the August 31 deadline for Arsenal to make their move, giving Wenger time to attempt to drive down Real Madrid’s asking price for the out-of-favour Huntelaar.

At the same time, defender Kolo Touré was undergoing medical tests yesterday ahead of completing a £14m move to Manchester City. The deal is expected to be confirmed at a press conference tomorrow morning.

Club overhaul

Touré’s move, which includes personal terms which will put him among the ranks of players at Eastlands earning over £100,000 a week, is the second piece of business the two clubs have done this summer, following Emmanuel Adebayor’s arrival earlier this month.

The deal is City’s sixth of the close-season following the captures of Roque Santa Cruz, Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez and Stuart Taylor, while Everton’s Joleon Lescott remains a target. Among the players likely to leave the club as part of the overhaul is Bulgarian forward Valeri Bojinov, who is in talks to join promoted Serie A side Parma.

Arsenal’s manager Arsène Wenger, meanwhile, has played down the impact of losing Touré. “We have seven centre-backs, and I am in the position where I have to play some in midfield. Of course, Kolo is a very good player – we will see what will happen in the next 24 hours.” So far this summer, Wenger has made just one signing, the central defender Thomas Vermaelen from Ajax. (Agencies)