Arsenal's New Sponsor Puma to Help Fund Mario Balotelli Transfer

Arsenal's new sponsor Puma are reportedly looking to help Arsenal in their pursuit of Mario Balotelli and bring him to north London next season, according to the Daily Mail.

The Gunners who signed a £30m-a-year deal with sportswear giant Puma earlier in the year, are in the market for a top quality striker. Arsene Wenger wants the new striker to share the load with Olivier Giroud, who is the only recognised striker in the squad.

Puma thinks that Mario Balotelli, who shares the same sponsor, will be a good investment if they can lure him back to the Premier League with Arsenal.

It is believed that Wenger feels he can tame the beast that is Balotelli and bring out the best in him. He was also quoted in 2009 praising the 23-year-old forward. "I am keeping an eye out for Balotelli, a player I like very much. In my view he can be one of the best," he said.

Sky Sport Italia pundit Mario Guinta claims that Arsene Wenger is really interested in bringing Balotelli to Arsenal and feels with the help of Puma it can be done.

"Arsenal are very interested in Balotelli and Arsene Wenger would do anything to bring him to London," Guinta said, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

"This operation could be pushed forward by the technical sponsor, who Balotelli shares with Arsenal. To have Balotelli in the Premier League for Arsenal would be an important investment."

Arsenal have been linked to other strikers namely Mario Mandzukic, Karim Benzema and Loic Remy, with the former already confirming his departure from current employers Bayern Munich.

Meanwhile, Arsenal's club-record signing Mesut Ozil has been talking about Germany's World Cup squad and credits coach Joachim Low for making them one of the favourites to win the trophy which has eluded them since 1990.

"He's introduced a totally new German national team - one that is really respected all over the world," Ozil told Arsenal's official website.

"Wherever we go, I think opponents are reluctant to play us because we are very strong. If you look at the German team over the last couple of years, you can see that we have continuously played excellent football."

"I hope that he can hold the World Cup in his hands and say 'we've won this as a team' because he really deserves that," the German midfielder added.