Arsenal are ready to re-open the pursuit of Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega in the summer.
Gunners boss Unai Emery is a major fan as he twice managed Banega at both Sevilla and Valencia and was his first choice to replace Aaron Ramsey in midfield.
Arsenal could not do a deal in January because of a lack of funds but will look again in the summer as they again have a shortage of cash for a big deal according to the Mirror.
Banega would cost around £17m as he has a buy-out clause but the biggest concern is his age as he will be 31 in June.
Arsenal want a new left back, midfield reinforcements as well as a wide forward, although the hope is that on-loan Denis Suarez will prove to be hit with an £18m option to buy in his loan from Barcelona.
Former Gunners coach Arsene Wenger has questioned whether Mesut Ozil’s lucrative long-term contract is a factor in his fall from the Arsenal team.
Ozil signed a £350,000-a-week deal lasting until 2021 last year and Wenger said players can slip into a ‘comfort zone’ with such financial security.
Wenger was Arsenal manager when Ozil put pen to paper but hinted that was a club decision as he personally feels players entering their final months stay motivated.
” Most of the time now we think when we sign a player for five years we have a good player for five years. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they practice, they play their best. Because they might be in their comfort zone,” Wenger said.
“He has a contract but the problem is that if you want to buy a player like him you have to spend £100million,” he added.
“And to maintain the value of the player, beyond the Ozil case, it is more about the way football is structured. “