Mikel Arteta is now pushing Arsenal to sign a "magic" Real Madrid player, as he believes the £70m star would be a perfect fit for his project.
Gunners looking to raid Real Madrid
The Gunners are flying high at the top of the Premier League table, moving seven points clear of Manchester City after the 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, meaning the Emirates Stadium should be an attractive destination this month.
Gabriel and William Saliba have been key to Arteta's side's success, with the duo forming a formidable partnership at centre-back, and the north Londoners have the strongest defensive record in the Premier League, having only conceded 14 goals in 22 games.
However, it has now been revealed that a new centre-back is of interest to Arteta, and Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the pursuit of Real Madrid's Victor Valdepenas.
Valdepenas is not the only Madrid player being targeted by Arsenal, however, with a report from Spain revealing Arteta is now pushing for the club's hierarchy to sign Arda Guler, as there is a belief the Turk could become one of the biggest stars in the Premier League.
The manager believes the attacking midfielder would be a 'perfect fit for his project', and the Gunners have the 'financial muscle' to compete for his signature, although a deal could be expensive, with a £70m transfer fee previously being touted.
Arda Guler for Real Madrid
Regardless, the north Londoners are dreaming of signing Guler, and there is every indication the 20-year-old could be an exciting addition to Arteta's squad...
"Magic" Guler could be statement signing for Arsenal
Arsenal would be making a real statement if they were able to lure the youngster away from the Spanish club, who has been highly-rated for quite some time, receiving plaudits from scout Ben Mattinson courtesy of his performances for Turkey.
Since then, the Ankara-born attacker has gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular for Real Madrid, chipping in with three goals and ten assists in 30 matches across all competitions this season.
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The Gunners want to bring in a new defender.
Guler is only in the infancy of his career, but he already has considerable experience, scoring six goals in 26 caps for Turkey, and he could be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, but Arteta is already well-stocked in attacking midfield, with the likes of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze to choose from.