Arsenal have now made contact to sign an "exceptional" midfielder, and they are prepared to make a £35m offer to secure his signature in 2026.
Gunners looking to strengthen in midfield
Mikel Arteta has now hinted there could be some new arrivals in the January transfer window, given the scale of the injury crisis he has been forced to endure, with the return dates of Cristhian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori still unknown.
The manager said: "We're going to be really aware of the situation and the timescale of certain players. We have to be actively looking, and then can we do it or not?
"That's a different story, but our job is to be always very prepared because something can happen."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
While Arteta has been left short on options in defence, meaning Declan Rice had to fill in at right-back last time out, the likes of Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi have been reliable options in recent weeks, and Martin Odegaard scored in the 2-1 victory against Brighton.
However, the north Londoners are also keen to bring in a new central midfielder in 2026, with reports from Italy (via Sport Witness) revealing they have now made initial contact over a deal for Club Brugge’s Aleksandar Stankovic.
Inter Milan are expected to exercise their buy-back clause to purchase Stankovic for €23m (£20m) next summer, before selling him to a new club, and Arsenal are waiting in the wings, alongside bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Both Premier League sides are prepared to make a €40m (£35m) offer next summer, but Inter may be in a position to demand even more, given just how impressive the 20-year-old has been for Club Brugge...
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"Exceptional" Stankovic proving his worth in Belgium
The Club Brugge star, who specialises in defensive midfield, has emerged as a key player for the Belgian club this season, having already made 30 appearances in all competitions, contributing three goals and two assists.
Despite often featuring in a deeper role, the Serbian youngster has displayed a keen eye for goal over the past year, while he has also been dominant in the air, when compared to other midfielders.
Aleksandar Stankovic's key statistics Average per 90 (past year)
Non-penalty goals 0.12 (81st percentile)
Touches (Att pen) 1.85 (84th percentile)
Clearances 3.63 (98th percentile)
Aerials won 2.16 (94th percentile)
Not only that, but the starlet also received high praise from scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, who has been particularly impressed by his leadership skills.
Although Arsenal have plenty of top-quality options in midfield, such as Rice and Zubimendi, Stankovic could be an exciting long-term addition to the squad.