Arsenal could reportedly compete with London rivals Chelsea in the pursuit of Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric this summer.
The Croatia international has been an influential figure in the Los Blancos midfield in recent seasons, but he could be sold, with the club on the search for a younger replacement.
According to The Express, via Diario Gol, the north London giants have emerged as surprise contenders to sign Modric, who is approaching the latter stages of his career.
The enforcer will become 32 in September this year, and club president Florentino Perez is said to be assessing his future after the emergence of Casemiro.
As per The Express, the European champions could consider the potential sale of the experienced midfielder this summer as the club look to bring in a younger recruit, who could integrate into their style of play.
Despite his former links with Tottenham Hotspur, London duo Chelsea and Arsenal appear to be on the hunt for the anchorman as they seek to offer him a potential return to the Premier League.
Arsene Wenger has seen his side find their feet in the new 3-4-2-1 formation, but there is still the need for midfield reinforcements with Aaron Ramsey unlikely to go through a full season owing to his calf issues.
Meanwhile, Francis Coquelin appears to have a divided opinion among the fans with Mohamed Elneny non-existent at times, and this leaves Granit Xhaka as the sole player guaranteed a place in the starting lineup.
Injured pair Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere currently face an uncertain future beyond the summer and the potential link with Modric could be encouraging, should there be a breakthrough in negotiations.
Wenger had previously ignored the services of Modric prior to his move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2008 as he deemed the player did not have the physique to play in the Premier League.
Modric who joined Madrid back in 2012 for a fee of around £30m currently has three years left on his contract, and he will be in no hurry to leave the Bernabeu giants unless the club are determined to sell.
