These two would provide Mikel Arteta with a real injection of experience, although a less experienced player has also just been the subject of a bid from Arsenal in Isaque Severino Silva. RTI Esporte in Brazil now state that Arsenal have submitted a bid worth just over €12m (£10m) for the Fluminense wonderkid.

Arsenal are working on a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, reports David Ornstein. The Ecuadorian international has a €60M release clause in his contract, but Andrea Berta is trying to negotiate that number lower,