Emirates Stadium boss looks to add bite to Gunners midfield.
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Arsenal are reportedly readying a bid for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan with Arsene Wenger keen to conduct a significant portion of his summer squad building activity early in the summer transfer window.
Wenger has identified the 22 year old as a realistic target having seen Borussia Dortmund struggle to keep hold of their top talent having surrendered their Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich.
The Arsenal boss is keen to bring in a defensively minded midfielder to help fill the void left by Alex Song’s departure to Barcelona last summer and sees Gundogan as the ideal man for the job. The tigerish battler may be open to leaving the Westfalenstadion if he perceives Borussia Dortmund lack the ambition and pulling power to keep their top performers.
With Mario Gotze having agreed a deal to join Bayern Munich and top scorer Robert Lewandowski looking likely to follow his team-mate to the Allianz Arena there is a chance that Jurgen Klopp could struggle to keep other members of his Borussia Dortmund squad.
Arsenal are ready to offer £22m for Gungodan as Arsene Wenger sets about making big money moves this summer having been handed a sizable transfer war-chest by the North London club’s board.
Gundogan has been in fine form this term and has been particularly impressive in Champions League action, being particularly effective against Real Madrid earlier this week, keeping the Spanish side’s midfield shackled as Dortmund thrashed Jose Mourinho’s side 4-1.
The German international moved to Borussia Dortmund from Nurmberg in 2011 and is now a regular member of Joachim Low’s national team squad.
Wenger will hope that the addition of a defensive midfielder will help add balance to a side that has surfeit of creative attacking talent. This term the Gunners have had to use Mikel Arteta in an unfamiliar holding role to help repel opposition advances and the signing of an ‘enforcer’ will help to provide protection for the likes of Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla.
Gundogan has made 36 starts in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund thus far this season.
Arsene Wenger is said to be closing in on another of his summer targets, Fiorentina forward Stevan Jovetic, with Arsenal looking to complete a deal to sign the Montenegro international to help boost their attack.