With Arsenal currently in the midst of a title challenge with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, the idea of thinking about the future might be strange, but that’s what the likes of Edu Gaspar are paid to do.
The Gunners chief knows that the near certain qualification for next season’s Champions League will mean a need for a deeper squad packed with talent, which is why players such as Brahim Díaz are being targeted.
The latest on this particular scenario comes from Corriere dello Sport in Italy, who look at AC Milan’s desire to keep the player, having had him on loan from Real Madrid for the past two years.
It’s explained the Serie A side will make new contacts in the next few days with the La Liga club to discuss the player’s price, with the Spaniards said to want ‘at least €25m’ for the playmaker.
However, ‘there would already be teams interested in buying him’, which is where Arsenal come in.
While Milan’s relationship with their Madrid counterparts might be excellent, and they could have a priority, Carlo Ancelotti’s side are currently evaluating two options when it comes to Díaz.
The first would be for him to return to the club and then use him, offloading a couple of players from the current Real squad to make room for him, or to simply ‘sell him to the highest bidder’.
With plenty of money in their bank account as a Premier League team, that could give Arsenal an advantage, especially since Mikel Arteta’s team have ‘asked for information’ about Díaz.
This means the Gunners have made contact with either Real Madrid or the forward’s agents, therefore making their first move in an attempt to potentially sign the Spain international (one cap, one goal) this summer.