Arsenal joins race to sign Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente

Arsenal have joined the race for Spanish hitman Fernando Llorente with the Athletic Bilbao striker delaying signing a new deal with the club.

The 27-year-old has interested Arsene Wenger for a while and is out of contract next summer with his club looking to cash in on him in January if he does not put pen to paper.

Manchester City and Chelsea are also interested in picking up the striker who is valued at around £15million, according to Metro.

Llorente impressed last season with 30 goals in 53 games, including one in a superb display at Old Trafford against Manchester United in the Europa League.

If he does sign a new deal with Bilbao he will have to win over his own fans as they booed him in a recent fixture against Espanyol.

Whether Arsenal will spend the money on Llorente is another matter, after Wenger's latest outburst over excessive money in football.

The Arsenal manager is a leading supporter of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, which he hopes will curb the spending of clubs like Manchester City and Paris St Germain and help his team end their seven-year trophy drought.