Arsenal have stepped-upped efforts to sign Newcastle United and Nigeria speedster Obafemi Martins.

According to published reports, Martins will be allowed to leave the club provided any club can match or better the 24 million U.S. dollar asking price.

If the striker hands in a transfer request however, he could go for as 3.5 million less, as his 21 million dollar release clause will have been triggered.

The 23-year-old may be enticed to settle upon that option following the turning-down of his recent 126,000 dollar a week contract with Newcastle.

The effect of the Magpie's cost-saving initiatives has unsurprisingly failed to impress Martins; a source close to the Nigerian recently said "It is a shock Newcastle cannot find the money any more for his new deal but he is a player a lot of clubs want."

Arsenal have been linked with Martins for some time now, but in refusing to pay more than 17 million dollars for the player, they are leaving the door open for another club to swoop in and take him.

With Arsenal set to be without Eduardo da Silva and potentially Robin van Persie for the first few months of the season and Emmanuel Adebayor possibly biding farewell to the Emirates, Arsenal Wenger may have no option but to splash the cash and make an offer.