Arsenal and Liverpool linked with Greek World Cup goal king

Premier League top-two Arsenal and Liverpool are set to compete with a host of European giants for the signature of Olympiakos hotshot Kostas Mitroglou.

The north Londoners – who are 7/2 joint-second favourites to win their third Premier League title under coach Arsene Wenger in May – lack quality cover for centre-forward Olivier Giroud and have been linked with a number of strikers since the start of last summer.

Midfielder Aaron Ramsey has papered over the cracks in the Gunners’ goal department by chipping in with six top-flight strikes, but no other Arsenal player bar Giroud has scored more than two in the league this term.

Mitroglou would be sure to remedy that stat were he to sign in January, as the 6ft 2in hitman has accrued a frankly magnificent, Cristiano Ronaldo-esque tally of 21 goals in 20 matches for club and country this season.

The 25-year-old has grabbed three hat-tricks in the Greek Super League in 2013/14 and also carried off the match ball after scoring all the goals in his side’s 3-0 win at Anderlecht in the Champions League.

Borussia Dortmund – who are widely expected to lose Polish striker Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich either in January or when his contract runs out next summer – are thought to be interested in replacing their star forward with Mitroglou.

Inter Milan and Benfica have also been linked with the Kavala-born goal king and Liverpool – who are two points behind Arsenal in second and evens to finish in the Premier League’s top four this term – are also thought to be ready to test Olympiakos with a bid in the new year.

The Merseysiders boast two of the three joint-top scorers in the division so far in 2013/14, with Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez firing home 16 times between them, but have no obvious replacement  for their strike-pairing in reserve.

Boss Brendan Rodgers is likely to be priced out of the market for his top forward target Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid and may push the boat out to land Mitroglou in January.