Arsenal Eye Swoop For £32m International Midfielder But Barcelona Also Keen

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the final weeks of the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal are linked with Leon Goretzka…

Arsenal are being linked with a late swoop for Leon Goretzka but will now face stiff competition from Barcelona to sign the £32m-rated Schalke midfielder, according to a report in the Express.

Goretzka moved to Schalke from boyhood club Bochum in the summer of 2013 and he’s developed in to one of the best all-round midfielder’s in German football over the past few years.

Although Schalke endured a tough campaign last season, the 22-year-old was one of the few shining-lights and he’s also now a regular in the German squad having previously represented his country at youth level.

The box-to-box midfielder has been tipped to leave the Veltins-Arena as he’s in the final year of his contract and has so far refused to sign an extension, so Schalke may be forced to cash-in.

The Express claim Arsenal are eyeing a late swoop for the German star as Arsene Wenger looks to further strengthen his squad during the closing stages of the transfer window.

Wenger has suggested that he will dip back in to the market once he’s offloaded some of his fringe players and it seems Goretzka is among his key midfielder targets.

I’ve said all summer that we need another central midfielder as I’m not convinced by the Granit Xhaka-Aaron Ramsey partnership and we need an upgrade on the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin.

Jack Wilshere was the ‘golden child’ but his future at the club is in serious doubt while Santi Cazorla can’t be relied upon due to his dodgy Achilles so a new midfielder is desperately needed.

Goretzka would be an excellent signing but it looks as though Arsenal are going to face some stiff competition as the Express are citing a report from Transfer Market Web that suggests Barcelona are now in the race for his signature.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news

The outlet claims Barca chiefs have already flown-out to Germany to hold talks with Schalke over a potential deal to sign the £32m-rated midfielder as they look to find a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the coming days but I’m holding out hope that Wenger is going to bring in at least two more players before the end of the month and Goretzka would be a superb signing if we could beat Barca to his signature.