Arsenal are looking at signing Ruben Neves from Wolves this summer, with the Midlands club looking to sell their midfielder to raise funds.
That's according to The Times, who say the Gunners have started work to complete a deal to bring the Portuguese midfielder to the Emirates Stadium.
Neves moved to Wolves in 2017 from Porto as a very highly-rated youngster and has played for the club over 150 times in the league - both in the Championship and Premier League.
Arsenal are reportedly interested in the 20-time capped 24-year-old, as Mikel Arteta looks to significantly strengthen this summer after a woeful 2020/21 campaign.
Neves is not short of admirers in football, with the technically gifted central midfielder receiving praise from Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho in the past.
Manchester City were linked with a move for the Wolves star in 2019 to replace the ageing Fernandinho, and Guardiola was asked about him.
"He's an excellent player, but there are many clubs in the world, many holding midfielders in the world, and most of them can play here," the City boss said.
"That's not the point. Most of them are under contracts.
"A month ago, I started reading: 'Ruben Neves, £100 million.' That is not going to happen, we are not going to pay £100 million for a holding midfielder.
"Of course, in all departments in the club, we have in every position four or five or six options—depending on age, what we believe and, of course, the price."
Guardiola's long-term rival, Mourinho, has also spoken about Neves' quality in the past, as well as his Wolves team-mate Joao Moutinho.
The former Tottenham boss said this after Spurs beat Wolves 2-1 in December 2019: "We tried and we did, but against these guys it's impossible to do all the time.
"You try to be proactive and come with a plan because you know that you're not going to be able to do it for 90 minutes.
"So when they recover the ball so high and move it so fast, the two Portuguese guys in midfield, they are top guys.
"Moutinho and Neves, they are top players, they move the ball fast."
Arsenal are set for a massive squad overhaul this summer, football.london understands, with Edu and Arteta looking at at least five new signings - all in different positions.
