Arsenal sent scouts to watch Rennes midfielder Lovro Majer for a second time this season as Croatia beat Denmark during the international break.
The 24-year-old has been compared with his national teammate Luka Modric in his homeland and has been on the Gunners’ radar following his successful spell with the Ligue 1 outfit. Rennes signed Majer for a fee in the region of £10million last summer and the Croatian midfielder has registered 18 goal contributions in 44 appearances for the French side.
Arsenal attempted to sign Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz on Deadline Day but were rebuffed three times as technical director Edu failed to secure a late deal following injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny. Mikel Arteta made it clear that he wanted to add one or two more signings to his squad, with a central midfielder and winger thought to be the areas of priority.
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The north London outfit could face competition from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid for Majer's signature, who beat Denmark 'keeper Kasper Schmeichel within a minute of coming on in midweek to seal a 2-1 Nations League win for Croatia. Arsenal had scouts at the match watching the 24-year-old's performance as they continue to plan for the January transfer window, as per The Mirror.
The central midfielder has made eight appearances for Rennes so far, scoring once and assisting twice, being deployed in an attacking midfield position once, but naturally playing as a central midfielder. The Gunners have an ageing midfield with Granit Xhaka turning 30 at the end of September whilst Partey turned 29 years old earlier this year in June.
Majer could be seen as a long-term replacement for either player whilst injuries could see Edu accelerate potential transfer plans in an effort to provide cover and depth for Arteta's squad in a hectic season that sees Arsenal challenging in European competition once again. The Gunners are targeting a return to the Champions League either through finishing inside the Premier League top four or by winning the Europa League.
Edu put in plenty of work during the summer transfer window which saw Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos and Matt Turner all make the move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer. Arteta knows a squad rich in depth will be needed to continue challenging at the top of the Premier League and go far in each cup competition, which is why a move for Majer could prove crucial to the Gunners' possible success this season.
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