Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has set his sights on a Real Madrid target who Mikel Arteta personally thinks is perfect for his system, according to a new report.
Arsenal prepare for Premier League blockbuster against Chelsea
The mood around N5 could hardly be more positive right now after a phenomenal week.
Arsenal dismantled North London rivals Tottenham 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend and immediately followed that up by inflicting Bayern Munich's first defeat of the entire campaign on Wednesday.
It was the perfect few days to set up a tantalising encounter with London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with Arsenal now having the chance to go nine points clear of Enzo Maresca's side.
Chelsea pose yet another tough test for Arsenal, especially after the Blues thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League, but Arteta's side go into the contest on an all-time high.
Arsenal's unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
Arsenal have also welcomed back Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard from injury, with the former two getting on the scoresheet against Bayern to round off a superb win.
Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus missed the victory over Bayern, alongside star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, but young defender Cristhian Mosquera did a 'superb' job filling in for the latter.
Andrea Berta
Arsenal's strength in depth is testament to Berta's excellent recruitment drive last summer, with their near-£270 million outlay on new signings paying dividends for Arteta.
The Gunners could hardly be any stronger right now, but Berta will be paying close attention to unmissable market opportunities.
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He's responded to the speculation around his future.
One of them could be Elche sensation Rodrigo Mendoza, who is rumoured to have a tempting £17.5 million release clause in his contract amid comparisons to Pedri and Barça legend Sergio Busquets.
Arsenal hold 'initial talks' to sign Rodrigo Mendoza from Elche
That is according to TEAMtalk, who also report that Arsenal have positioned themselves as the frontrunners to sign Mendoza in January.
rodrigo-mendoza-elche-la-liga
Arteta has apparently identified the 20-year-old as an 'ideal' addition to strengthen his title-chasing squad, with Arsenal already holding 'initial talks' to sign Mendoza after 'exploratory' contact.
TT sources indicate that Arsenal are prepared to test Elche's resolve before Christmas as they look to bolster their midfield options for the second half of the campaign.
However, Arsenal face significant competition for his signature. Three other Premier League heavyweights have all made contact with the player's representatives too, setting up a four-way English battle, and Real Madrid are believed to be targeting Mendoza too.
xabi-alonso-real-madrid-la-liga
Sources close to Mendoza's camp apparently state that, while multiple English clubs have registered interest, Arsenal's early moves give them a distinct advantage.
The modest release clause represents exceptional value in today's inflated market, particularly for a Spain Under-21 international who has progressed through every youth level.
Mendoza has nine La Liga appearances and one goal to his name so far this season, and helped Elche achieve promotion back to the Spanish top flight last season.
For just £17.5m, Arsenal could sign one of Spain's newest rising stars, with Arteta's apparent eagerness making this transfer one to watch.