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AS Roma director of football Monchi has set his sights on signing a midfielder, if the reports in Italy are to believed.

Italian newspaper Il Tempo claims Monchi is in Boston with president James Pallotta and general manager Mauro Baldissoni. After losing Malcom to Barcelona, they decided to change their transfer plans and now want to focus on Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka.

The Gunners signed the Swiss international from Borussia Monchengladbach for €45m (other figures are available) two years ago and he recently renewed his contract at the Emirates.

Monchi ‘sniffed the deal’ and the Spaniard is trying to work through intermediaries to see if the Italian capital club can ‘snatch’ the 25-year-old for an affordable price.

They have shifted focus on the Gunners player after deciding to end interest in Steven Nzonzi, who asked for €4.5m-a-year after tax. Xhaka surely wouldn’t be looking for less.

Roma already has Maxime Gonalons in the midfield, but they are looking for a player who is more powerful than him and who can protect the defence and retrieve the ball.

The report doesn’t suggest whether Arsenal and/or Xhaka are interested in the transfer and as of now, it looks like he is one of the midfield targets for them.