Arsenal are continuing their efforts to sign a new central midfielder with less than a week until the summer transfer window shuts.
Lyon's Houssem Aouar is a name that has long been tipped to join Mikel Arteta's side and it is understood Arsenal are set to return with a second bid for the French midfielder.
football.london understands an opening bid for the Lyon captain was rejected, but a second offer of £36.5million (€40million) with a further £9million in potential add-ons (€10million) is being prepared.
"There was a timid offer," Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas told Canal Plus after his club’s 1-1 draw with Lorient on Sunday.
"We felt like either they didn’t consider the fact that this is a player in the French national team. So it was not an offer that was even susceptible to making us consider a sale."
If Aouar was to join the Gunners, supporters will be looking forward to seeing the Frenchman holding the Arsenal shirt at his unveiling - but what squad number could the playmaker take at the Emirates Stadium?
Since breaking into the first-team picture at Lyon, Aouar has worn numbers 8, 14, 16 and 25 on the back of his shirt.
At Arsenal, the incumbent no. 8, 14, 16 and 25 is Dani Ceballos, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Rob Holding and Mohamed Elneny respectively.
And judging by the last two seasons and Aouar's history with the France U21's, his dream shirt number is '8' and it's unlikely he will get that at Arsenal given Ceballos has only recently rejoined the club.
However, the Spaniard is only on loan from Real Madrid and there's no guarantee he will sign on a permanent basis at the end of the campaign.
This means Aouar could receive his favoured number if he's patient enough to wait a year or if Ceballos decides to relinquish his current shirt.
So, what other squad numbers will be available to the 22-year-old if he does sign for the Gunners at some point in the summer?
Below we take a look to see what numbers are currently free in north London.
No.13
David Ospina left the club after making the permanent switch to loan club Napoli last summer.
No.18
One of two shirt numbers Nacho Monreal had at the Emirates, but he departed for Real Sociedad last summer with the Gunners well-stocked for options at left-back in Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney.
No.26
Emiliano Martinez's £20m move to Aston Villa means he has vacated the no.26 shirt.
No.27
With Konstantinos Mavropanos out on a season-long loan deal, his no.27 is currently vacant.
