According to a fresh report from Spanish outlet Sport, Arsenal face competition to sign Marc Roca.
The Espanyol midfielder was linked with a move to the Gunners a number of weeks ago but now AC Milan have emerged as new contenders to sign the 23-year-old.
Per Sport, Arsenal have already held negotiations over a move for the holding player who attracted interest from Bayern Munich last summer. They reportedly bid €20m for his signature before it was swiftly rejected.
A player with plenty of suitors, it is thought €40m (£35.6m) will be enough to lure him away from the La Liga outfit. That fee is his current release clause.
Despite the Gunners’ appeal, Milan are said to be “very interested” according to the aforementioned report.
GIVE ME SPORT’S Matt Dawson says...
Roca may not be too well known to those in English football but he’s a player with plenty of potential.
In the past, the midfielder has claimed that he’s been focusing on modelling Sergio Busquets, even bringing aspects of Xabi Alonso’s play into his game.
It’s no secret that Arsenal have needed a focused holding player with those types of qualities at the base of their midfield.
Granit Xhaka’s had his difficulties with the supporters this term while Mikel Arteta relegated Lucas Torreira to the cup side before his injury. Matteo Guendouzi was another who failed to receive too many starts under Arteta.
Perhaps an admirer of a further Spaniard, Roca could fit the bill. For a struggling Espanyol team this season, he’s registered 2.4 tackles per game, also committing over two fouls a match on average.
He also knows how to pass a ball, acquiring a pass success rate of 91.2% during the U21 European Championships last year.
Arsenal have plenty of options in midfield but one thing they can be accused of is failing to find the right balance. Roca may be able to bring more stability.