Diego Costa Atletico Madrid
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly keeping tabs on Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa. Reuters

Arsene Wenger wants a striker in the January transfer window - preferably a forward who is currently making waves with Liverpool and is arguably the best striker in Europe at the moment.

However, there is no way Liverpool are going to sell Luis Suarez to Arsenal, probably not even for a world record fee - not that Wenger will ever sanction any kind of that amount.

So, Arsenal and Wenger have been forced to look elsewhere, with the likes of Karim Benzema, Jackson Martinez, Alexandre Pato and even Robert Lewandowski linked constantly.

Added to that list and a player who has also been in Arsenal's radar for a while is Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, another of the in-form forwards in Europe at the moment.

Costa has scored an impressive 22 goals in all competitions this season, seamlessly fitting into the role of the main centre-forward after the departure of Radamel Falcao.

The likes of Chelsea and Liverpool have also been linked with Costa, and Atletico will be able to do little if any of the sides come in and trigger a release clause worth around £32 million that reportedly exists.

According to reports in Spain, Wenger has sent scouts to run the rule over Costa in the upcoming La Liga game against Levante, with a view to a possible bid in the January transfer window.

Wenger showed in the summer, when buying Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid for a club record fee, that he is not too worried about whipping out that cheque book for the right player; and if the Frenchman fancies the Brazil-born striker, then a move in the winter window could be on the cards.

However, Costa is Champions League cup-tied and that will make Wenger pause a little on making a January move, even if Arsenal are in desperate need of an extra striker, with Olivier Giroud looking seriously jaded of late.

The same problem exists with the likes of Benzema, who Wenger has insisted he will not try and sign, and Lewandowski, likely to sign for Bayern Munich next summer, with both those strikers also cup-tied in Europe.

With the crunch Champions League tie against Bayern Munich coming up in February, Wenger will be wary of bringing in a player, who can't help Arsenal out in Europe, for big money.