According to Italian source Calciomercato, West Ham and Arsenal have launched bids to sign Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli this summer.

Twitter: EXCLUSIVE! #Arsenal and #WHUFC to make bid for Napoli’s striker #Higuain https://t.co/sap18duQKd via @DRussodeCerame (@calciomercatoit)

The Argentina international striker has expressed his desire to leave Napoli this summer and has stated he will not extent his contract with the club, which expires in 2018, due to broken promises made by his employers.

The Gunners have offered the Serie A club £42.5m plus striker Olivier Giroud for the former Real Madrid man in a bid to finally recruit a world-class striker to aid their title bid.

However, the report claims the Hammers have made a whopping £59.6m bid for Higuain to make him their marquee signing of the summer. Liverpool have also been linked with a move for the striker.

The move would smash the club’s current transfer record which stands at £15m paid to Liverpool for Andy Carroll in the summer of 2013.

The 28-year-old striker has a release clause set at £80m but the Serie A side will evaluate both offers before making their decision, so the report states.