Arsenal have reportedly joined the race to sign highly-rated Real Madrid midfielder Marcos Llorente. The Spaniard spent the previous season on loan with Deportivo Alves where he managed 32 appearances across all competitions.
According to Spanish outlet AS h/t The Mirror, the European champions could consider the departure of Llorente this summer as he is currently Mateo Kovacic in the pecking order at the Bernabeu.
Casemiro and Luka Modric are the preferred choices at the heart of the midfield, and Llorente could be allowed to leave on loan or with a deal involving a suitable buy-back clause.
Arsenal are currently stacked in the centre of the park with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin competing, but Wenger could still look to depth with the potential capture of Llorente.
However, there could be stiff competition from Spanish duo Seville and Atletico Madrid, who stand a better chance of offering the youngster with regular football for the current season.
Arsene Wenger has been content with the signings of Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette during the course of the summer transfer window, and the focus, for now, is on offloading fringe players with Gabriel having recently left for Valencia.
Kieran Gibbs, Mathieu Debuchy, Carl Jenkinson and Lucas Perez are among the other fringe players in line to leave the club, and there could frantic transfer activity outwards prior to this month’s deadline.
Arsenal are understood to have also received a surprise loan approach from Inter Milan for Shkodran Mustafi, but the offer was swiftly knocked back by the club.
