Arsenal's prime focus may solely be on their Premier League title race with Manchester City but work behind the scenes is advancing ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners lead the way at the top of the table with eight games remaining - with Man City having a game in hand - by four points. Despite their superb form in the Premier League, the north Londoners have struggled beyond their best starting XI with early exits in both domestic cups and the Europa League.
The severe lack of first-rate squad depth will take precedence at the end of the season. Perhaps the most pressing area of Mikel Arteta's that is in desperate need of improvement is in midfield, despite Jorginho's arrival in January.
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West Ham star Declan Rice has emerged as the priority target at the end of the season, with his £150million price tag previously quoted by David Moyes expected to be much lower with only one year remaining on his deal.
football.london understands that there is optimism a deal can be completed. However, as there was in January with Mykhailo Mudryk, alternatives are being drawn up in case of a bidding war with Manchester United and Chelsea.
One man who has been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium is Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch. Reports in Germany have claimed the Gunners are interested in the Netherlands international after his lack of game time at the Allianz Arena.
And the 20-year-old - who has been tipped to be better than Paul Pogba - has received a glowing reference from former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, who has claimed Gravenberch is a better player than Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. The England international has been linked with a plethora of clubs across the summer, but his £130m price tag has turned some away.
"Do you know what is the most important thing when you go to a new club? The first two weeks," Van der Vaart told Ziggo Sport. "You have to show every picture, every practice game that you are a justified purchase.
"It would actually be good for Gravenberch to rent him out to Ajax again. You have to play football. Can you remember a player who sat on the bench at Bayern in 1990s? You earn a lot of money... Nice and nice, but no, you have to play football.
“What I think is the big difference is that Bellingham is one step down at a club and always playing. I think Gravenberch is better than him. In everything. Especially in physical terms.”
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