Arsenal are considering a move to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow as an alternative to Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo.
Sow has emerged as a transfer target for the Premier League leaders as Mikel Arteta looks to improve his midfield options ahead of next season.
The Switzerland international is understood to be keen on leaving Frankfurt this summer with Sky Sports Germany having reported that Sow wants to leave in search of a new challenge.
The 26-year-old’s will have just 12 months remaining on his contract this summer and Frankfurt will not want to run the risk of losing the midfielder on a free transfer.
Arsenal view Sow – who formed part of the Frankfurt team that won the Europa League last season – as a more affordable option than West Ham’s Rice or Brighton midfielder Caicedo, each of who would be expected to cost in excess of £70m.
Arsenal saw an approach for Caicedo turned down during the January transfer window, while West Ham manager David Moyes has claimed it will take a British record fee to sign Rice this summer.
Frankfurt are believed to have set an asking price of around €15m (£13.1m) for Sow, whose representatives have held ‘concrete talks’ with clubs from England, France and Italy.