ROY HODGSON is bidding to complete a £33million revamp of his Fulham forward line by snapping up Mario Gomez from Stuttgart.
Craven Cottage boss Hodgson has stolen a march on Arsenal and his negotiators are understood to have agreed a fee of around £15million with the German club.
Bobby Zamora has already joined from West Ham for £6.3m, while ex-Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson has arrived for £12m from Everton. Now
German international Gomez is close to agreeing personal terms.
Arsenal face Stuttgart and former keeper Jens Lehmann today in a pre-season friendly.
And they may have to do some late wheeler-dealing if they want to put the skids under Hodgson’s latest transfer coup.
Gomez’s advisers had talks with Gunners representatives on Monday.
The 23-year-old’s arrival at the Cottage would confirm Hodgson’s intent to make a big impression on the Premier League this season.
He wants to end the club’s perpetual battles against relegation by taking them to a European place.
Gomez, who had a poor Euro 2008 and failed to score a goal, has also been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
But he would face stiff competition for a place there from Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Lucas Podolski.
