Unai Emery is pushing for the signing of Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes this summer, sources have said.
Gomes, 24, joined Barca from Valencia for an initial fee of €35 million two years ago but has failed to make an impression at Camp Nou.
He made just six starts in La Liga last season and his lack of game time saw him cut from Portugal’s World Cup squad.
Barca are ready to cut their losses on him this summer and have received enquiries from clubs in England, Italy and Spain.
Valencia have confirmed they would like to take Gomes back on loan but the Spanish champions would prefer to sell and recoup some of — if not all — the money they spent on him in 2016.
Arsenal’s interest stems from Emery, with sources saying the former Paris Saint-Germain is especially keen to add him to the Premier League side’s midfield next season.
However, while Gomes is wanted by Emery, he was not initially a target for head of recruitment Sven Mislintat or head of football relations Raul Sanllehi.
The 14 years Sanllehi spent working at Barca before moving to the Emirates earlier this year, though, could aid negotiations if Emery gets his way.
Gomes’ performances at Valencia earned him interest from both Barca and Real Madrid before the Catalans eventually acquired his services.
Support InfoStride News' Credible Journalism: Only credible journalism can guarantee a fair, accountable and transparent society, including democracy and government. It involves a lot of efforts and money. We need your support. Click here to Donate