Arsenal are reportedly planning to steal starlet Dominic Solanke from Chelsea as contract talks between the youngster and the club are going nowhere.
The 18-year-old is believed to be demanding £50,000-a-week from the Blues, while he is also seeking assurances that he will get a chance to impress for the first team next season.
However, with little-to-no progress being made, Arsenal have looked to take advantage of the situation and hope to prise him away from Stamford Bridge, according to The Sun.
Arsene Wenger has done an excellent job of developing younger talents over the years, as the Frenchman has shown a willingness to give youngsters a chance with the Gunners whether it be a gradual process or an immediate promotion to the first-team.
Although the club would naturally refuse to meet Solanke’s reported wage demands, it could be the right move to further his career and ensure that he gets an opportunity to impress at the top level.
In contrast, staying at Chelsea would be seen as somewhat of a risk given their approach to youth players, with many struggling to break into the senior side in recent years.
Solanke’s reputation is certainly building as he has impressed at youth level for both Chelsea and England, while he has scored seven goals in 25 appearances during his loan spell with Vitesse this season.
Nevertheless, the ambitious youngster is seemingly keen to get his chance to impress in the Premier League soon rather than later, and the Gunners could very well be monitoring his situation to see if contract talks with Chelsea ultimately turn out to be fruitless.
Whether or not incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has a say on the matter remains to be seen, but the Italian will certainly want to assess all of his options before the club begin making decisions.