Arsenal are to swoop for River Plate midfielder Exequiel Palacios as a replacement for Aaron Ramsey , according to reports in Argentina.
Palacios was set to join Real Madrid last summer in a £20million deal, but the move collapsed when he picked up an injury.
New boss Zinedine Zidane is not thought to be following up that interest, although the 20-year-old is one of South America’s most highly rated young players and was included in Argentina’s final 23-man squad this summer’s Copa America in Brazil.
Despite that move falling through, Palacios is expected to leave River Plate for Europe this summer after almost four years in the first team, having made his debut as a 16-year-old.
And Argentine radio station Radio Continental have claimed Arsenal are the new favourites to sign the midfielder, and are preparing a swoop.
As a creative, box-to-box midfielder, Palacios appears to fit the profile of player Arsenal boss Unai Emery needs as he looks to replace Aaron Ramsey, who will join Juventus on a free transfer this summer.
Palacios is believed to have a release clause of around $23m (£18million) and would be well within Arsenal’s transfer budget even if they do not qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal face Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku on May 29 with a Champions League place at stake. The Gunners qualified for next season's Europa League by virtue of a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League.
Palacios' agent, Renato Corsi, also confirmed to Radio Continental that the midfielder "is leaving in June" and has "clubs in England and Germany asking about him".
Palacios is regarded as an excellent talent and helped River Plate win the Copa Libertadores last year.
He has been capped twice by Argentina but that tally looks likely to increase after he made the 2019 Copa America squad.
