Arsenal continue to be linked with Borussia Monchengladbach star Denis Zakaria.
The Gunners have reportedly monitored the Swiss international on several occasions in the past and he now appears closer than ever to leaving his current employers.
Zakaria’s contract with Gladbach expires at the end of the current campaign and he will be free to negotiate with any foreign clubs in the January transfer window.
Asked if the Gunners were eyeing Zakaria, SportBILD journalist Christian Falk replied: “That is a clear true.
“There has been interest in the past. Zakaria is on the books of almost every top club in Italy, but he wants the Premier League.
“Arsenal could be a club that can’t afford him anymore but are interested.”
Falk's claim is a little strange considering he'll be available on a free sooner rather than later.
According to Salary Sport, the Swiss is only earning £55,000 per week with Monchengladbach at the current time.
He'll obviously be looking to maximise his potential earnings in the future but given the Gunners spent more than £130million in the summer, they should be able to negotiate a reasonable contract.
Whether his wage demands for a new deal elsewhere are higher remains to be seen but it does seem somewhat puzzling that Arsenal would not pursue a deal for Zakaria when their current finances are taken into account.
And judging by some of the players he has been compared to, it sounds as though it wouldn't be a bad investment.
"I've been compared to [Patrick] Vieira and [Paul] Pogba – two more players I really respect and, in a way, see as role models,” Zakaria has said, via the Express.
Of course, Zakaria is yet to prove that he's anywhere near the levels of a Vieira or Pogba.
Nevertheless, Arsenal need solid depth in the midfield position - especially with Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny heading to AFCON - and the Swiss may be the ideal player to pursue.
