Arsenal's midfield is preparing to take a big hit this summer. With both Jorginho's and Thomas Partey's contracts running out, the Gunners have been chasing down some of Europe's top midfielders.
Number one on their list is seemingly Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich. The fullback-turned-midfielder has run down his contract in Bavaria and could be snapped up on a free transfer in the summer. The Champions League winner is highly regarded for his talents and with the offer to save some cash, Arsenal are battling some of Europe's biggest teams to try and win the German's signature.
But in some bad news for Mikel Arteta, Sky's Florian Plettenberg is reporting that Kimmich has held concrete talks with PSG with a deal for a summer move. He also reports that the 30-year-old has received two formal written offers, one from the French side, with the other club remaining clouded in mystery.
Arsenal are still believed to be interested in bringing the Munich man in; however, the club now seems to have expanded their search, settling on a promising young talent also hailing from the Bundesliga. 20-year-old Hugo Larsson has impressed since joining Eintracht Frankfurt from Malmo in July 2023.
Since his move, the Swede has scooped 71 caps, scoring seven and assisting three in all competitions, and has caught eyes from the Gunners, who are impressed with his technical ability and composure on the ball. Although with his talent being so obvious at such a young age, Arsenal are once again facing some tough competition.
Real Madrid, Man United and Liverpool are all reported to be considering a bid, while Man City and Tottenham are reportedly also interested in bringing the midfielder in the summer.
The in-demand midfielder may be a slightly more expensive option than an ageing Kimmich, with Frankfurt reportedly chasing a £50 million fee for the Swedish international - a price that seems inflated with his Transfermarket value currently hovering at £30 million.
Sign up for Arsenal news direct to your email inbox
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal face a crucial January transfer window if they want to push Liverpool for the title and you can stay up to date with every breaking news story, opinion and more...
By signing up to our newsletter here, you'll make sure you receive the best Gunners content including news, rumours, articles and fan opinions - direct into your inbox and all for free!
We also want to hear from you. Create an account here in just a few moments, so you can have your say on all things Arsenal, join the debate and take part in exclusive Q&As as well.