Arsenal have set themselves up to sign a direct replacement for Granit Xhaka in the midfield ahead of the start of next season.
Tuttomercatoweb claims that Napoli will look to offload Arsenal target Fabian Ruiz if he continues to reject their contract offer.
The report adds that the Gunners are more than happy to double his current 2.5m euros (£2m) per season salary so he can join the club.
The amount that Arsenal are willing to offer the Spaniard, is the same that Xhaka is currently earning potentially showing that Edu has already lined up a replacement in case of his exit.
football.london understands that Roma are expected to make a fresh attempt to sign the Swiss international at the end of the season.
The Serie A side was close to signing Xhaka last summer but a deal broke down due to the two clubs being unable to agree on a fee.
If he does depart from the club then it means that it should be considered a necessity for Arsenal to sign a midfielder in the summer transfer window.
Xhaka’s potential departure will mean that Thomas Partey would be the only experienced midfielder in the team, as Mohamed Elneny’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, with his agent already confirming that it is unlikely that he will stay beyond the end of the season.
Albert Sambi Lokonga and Charlie Patino are the other midfielders at the club, however, they both need time to adapt to the Premier League, and they shouldn’t be burdened with such a huge responsibility.
Ruiz would certainly be an excellent addition the Mikel Arteta’s side, and an ideal replacement for Xhaka to pivot alongside Partey.
Arsenal have been linked to midfielders who are right-footed, such as Renato Sanches and Franck Kessie, however, Ruiz’s preferred foot is his left.
This means he can open the pitch on the opposite side to Partey, and offer different passes to the Ghanaian which is a big reason why Arteta viewed Xhaka and him as his preferred pivot this season.
Ruiz also has Champions League and international experience which means he will not be intimidated to compete at the highest level, as the 25-year-old has been capped 15 times by the Spanish national team.
With the midfielder reportedly costing £15m he would certainly be a ideal replacement to Xhaka, and with Arsenal willing to double his salary, it shows that Edu is ready to roll on with the deal.
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