Arteta wants Arsenal to make offer for midfielder with “enormous potential”

Arsenal have been tipped to make a move for a young midfielder enjoying his breakout season, according to the latest reports, with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta personally pushing a move.

Midfield a concern for Arsenal

Despite their excellent form this season, it is clear that Arsenal need new blood in midfield. Thomas Partey has started just six Premier League games, while Jorginho is out of contract this summer. Though his deal could be extended, he is now the wrong side of his peak and cannot be relied upon to play every three days in both the Premier League and Europe.

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Additionally, the futures of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira remain unclear, and a Granit Xhaka shaped hole is still visible in the Gunners engine room nearly 12 months on. As a result, the North London side will almost certainly be adding a new face to their midfield this summer.

Young Spaniard wanted by Arteta

Now, Arsenal and Mikel Arteta may have found their perfect addition, in the form of Valencia wonderkid Javi Guerra.

Guerra is enjoying a breakthrough season with Valencia and has previously been linked with a move to both Manchester United and Newcastle United, but the latest reports suggest that Arsenal have joined the race for his signature this summer.

That is according to Caught Offside, who claim that Arsenal are now the “most likely” side to submit an offer for the Spaniard this summer, with Mikel Arteta a “huge fan” of the midfielder – the Arsenal boss apparently wants Edu to “bring Guerra in”.

But they may face a battle to prise him away from Valencia, with Guerra having previously stated his intention to remain in the south of Spain for much of his career.

“Of course, I would like to continue here for as many years as I can because in the end the club have given me everything and allowed me to fulfil the dream I have had since I was little and the truth is that I am very happy here in my city with my family and everyone around me, I couldn’t ask for more”, he revealed in January.

Meanwhile, the club are in no rush to get rid of their midfielder, who they deem to have “enormous potential”.

“We are fully aware that we have a player with enormous potential for the future and the ability to perform at a good level now,” Valencia sporting director Miguel Angel Corona told The Daily Mail. “That is why the club have decisively moved him up to the first team in recent months. It is not in our plans to sell him to any club.”

He has a release clause in his contract set at an astronomical £85m, but the report adds that Valencia could be “willing to do business” for far less, around £42m-£51m, despite their desire to keep hold of the talent. Could he be the missing piece to Arsenal’s midfield?