Arsenal target CSKA star Doumbia

Arsenal is zooming in on Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia, according to reports.

The Gunners are ready to step up their interest in 24-year-old Doumbia after learning that CSKA Moscow could drop their asking price to £15 million, the Daily Mail reported.

Chelsea and Liverpool are also tracking Doumbia, who scored 38 goals last season, and has a buy-out clause in his contract of £26m.

However, it is believed that CSKA would consider a smaller downpayment with add-ons that could take the fee up to £21m.

Doumbia wants to "make the next step" in his career and play in the Champions League.

Reports indicate that he will soon hold talks with the Gunners about a move to North London.

Doumbia said: "I am ready for the Italian championship, but also for Spain or England."

But his agent, Jean Bernard Beytrison, denied that the Premier League was the most likely destination, adding: "We are waiting for official steps to be made by some clubs, and until then I don't want to say anything."

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will watch Dnipro Dnepropetrovsk’s Ukraine star Yevhen Konoplyanka, 22, at Euro 2012 as a potential replacement for Andrey Arshavin.

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