Arsenal have reportedly already made an offer for Espanyol midfielder Marc Roca, who has a €40m release clause in his current contract.
The 23-year-old has made 33 appearances so far this season, chipping in with two goals and three assists as he has been a key figure in Espanyol’s midfield.
SEE MORE: Serge Gnabry’s choice of clothing during online training session will delight Arsenal supporters
As noted by the Sun, there is still a degree of uncertainty over Dani Ceballos as his current loan deal with the Gunners will expire this summer.
That in turn could leave a void to fill for Mikel Arteta in his midfield, and Sport note that Roca could be the signing to help address that issue.
It’s suggested that Arsenal have already made an offer to the player, but negotiations are currently on hold due to the coronavirus crisis and so the relevant parties are expected to resume talks when possible to do so, while it’s specifically noted that Roca has a €40m release clause in his current contract.
Nevertheless, it’s added that the expectation is that he will be allowed to leave and that there is a possibility that his valuation could decrease ahead of next season, especially with Espanyol staring at relegation fears.
While Arsenal have improved under Arteta both in terms of performances and results after his appointment in December, the Spaniard can arguably only be fairly judged once he has had a chance to stamp his mark on the squad.
This summer could give him the first real opportunity to do that, and time will tell if Roca is part of his plans to strengthen the squad and make them more competitive next season.
For now though, the first decision will be on Ceballos and whether or not to make his move permanent if possible, with the 23-year-old making just 24 appearances so far this season across all competitions.