If Arsenal really want Hulk it will cost them £100,000

THE AGENT of Porto striker Givanildo Vieira de Souza has admitted that Arsenal are interested in his client. The Brazilian frontman is better known as Hulk because of his facial likeness to actor Lou Ferrigno, who played the green bi-polar sufferer in the 1970s TV show, The Incredible Hulk.

In an interview with Portuguese rag A Bola, agent Teodoro Fonseca said he knew nothing of the latest gossip linking Hulk to the Emirates in a £23m January deal, but confessed nonetheless: "It is true that there has been contact before."

Before Arsenal fans get carried away at the prospect of Hulk strutting his stuff at the Emirates, Fonseca said he "will only be sold if someone pays £100m - this figure of £23m that has appeared would not be considered." One hundred thousand – it's enough to have Arsene Wenger turning green.

Meanwhile the Metro says the Gunners are preparing a £3m bid for Bresica midfielder Omar El Kaddouri. The Belgian playmaker has been in sparkling form this season for the Italian outfit, even though they languish in Serie B, and there's said to be interest also from Napoli and Palermo.

But the Metro reports that the 20-year-old is tipped to be heading to Arsenal in the New Year, a rumour that El Kaddouri appears eager to fuel. He's quoted as saying of Arsenal in the Metro: "They play the good football I like and Monsieur Wenger gives a chance to any young players and likes technical players like me. Brescia has been good to me and I love this place but once interest is shown by some teams you have to think about it."

In other news, Manchester City coach Fausto Salsano has owned up to the club's interest in Napoli duo Marek Hamsik and Ezequiel Lavezzi. The pair impressed for the Italian club last month when they drew 1-1 with the Sky Blues in their Champions League clash, and in an interview with Italian broadcaster Radio Crc, Salsano said City boss Roberto Mancini has been a fan of the pair for ages.

He added: "They are players we like because our objective is to do great things and win... Hamsik has become an important player with the right experience while Lavezzi is devastating and can hurt people in one-on-one situations." Hamsik, who is captain of the Slovakia team, is a midfielder and the Argentine Ezequiel Lavezzi is a striker.

Finally, German broadcaster TZ claims that Bayern Munich are plotting a New Year swoop for Didier Drogba. The Chelsea striker, now in his 34th year, has apparently not been able to agree an extension to his existing contract with the Blues and as a result the German giants will make their move in January's transfer window.

Apparently Chelsea are relaxed about the prospect of losing the Ivorian striker as they believe he's past his sell-by date, while Bayern Munich reckon that with some tender loving care Drogba can keep on scoring goals for a season or two more. ·