Arsenal face London rivals Fulham when the Premier League returns on Tuesday night.
The Gunners defeated Chelsea 1-0 in their last outing prior to the recent international break, and a win against the Cottagers would cut Liverpool’s advantage at the top of the league table to nine points.
Mikel Arteta could also be boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka, who has recovered from a hamstring injury and returned to full training.
The England international may not be risked against Fulham, though, with a crucial Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid coming up.
While the Gunners are set to go up against the reigning champions in Europe’s top club competition, it appears that the two sides are also battling it out off the pitch.
According to CaughtOffside, both Arsenal and Real Madrid are interested in Roma defender Evan Ndicka, who is valued at around £33 million.
Ndicka was linked with a move to England during his time with former club Eintracht Frankfurt
The report claims that the Ivory Coast international has attracted interest from several clubs having impressed in the Italian capital.
Ndicka, 25, joined Roma in 2023 after his contract with German side Eintracht Frankfurt came to an end.
He has now made 77 appearances for his current side, but the report claims that Roma could opt to sell the defender this summer if they fail to qualify for European football next term.
Newcastle United and high-flying Nottingham Forest are both also credited with an interest in the Ivorian, who has featured in all 30 of Roma’s Serie A games so far this season.
Ndicka is currently contracted to Roma until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, but the report suggests that the Italian outfit may have to part ways with high profile players during the upcoming summer transfer window in order to balance the books financially.