Arsenal are keeping tabs on midfielder Lovro Majer after watching him play for Croatia in the past week.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal scouted Lovro Majer last week when Croatia played Denmark. Mikel Arteta has been keen on bringing in a new midfielder and could turn to the Rennes star either in January or next summer.
Arsenal sit on top of the Premier League table after seven matchdays, winning six and losing once. Much credit will have to be reserved for Mikel Arteta and Edu for their formidable job in the summer transfer window. The Gunners made some important signings that tremendously improved their squad quality.
The arrivals of Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Matt Turner and Oleksandr Zinchenko have improved Arsenal’s ranks. However, Arteta wanted to bring in a new midfielder before the close of the market, as the Gunners were linked with several players, including Youri Tielemans and Douglas Luiz.
While they never made any concrete efforts to sign Tielemans, Arsenal did see three late bids rejected by Aston Villa for Luiz on deadline day. The main idea was to bring someone to cover for Thomas Partey, who has struggled with injuries since arriving at the club.
However, in Arteta’s mind, the need for a midfielder who could combine well with the attacking side is much more important now than a holding player. The report in the Mirror reckons the Gunners are looking at options to upgrade from Granit Xhaka, who has entered his thirties.
Lovro Majer is the latest player on their radar, with the Croatian midfielder putting up impressive performances in the previous season. Having signed for Rennes 13 months ago, the French side are reportedly seeking at least £44 million for the 24-year-old, per the report.
Majer is usually deployed as a central midfielder but can make deep runs and contribute to the attack, similar to what Xhaka has been doing this season. The Croatian can also play the advanced role, but Arsenal already have Vieira and Martin Odegaard in those roles, alongside Emile Smith-Rowe.
The Gunners reportedly watched the 24-year-old Ligue 1 midfielder in action against Denmark. Their scouts’ presence has increased the speculations around the player, with Arsenal reportedly considering making an approach as per the report.
The Gunners are targetting him in the January window, although the transfer might depend on their need around that time. Meanwhile, there’s reported interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Ligue 1 midfielder, although the reports insist Arsenal could be a step ahead in the chase.
Moreover, a transfer for Majer will also depend on Arsenal not going back for Tielemans or Douglas Luiz in the next windows. From a profile standpoint, he could be someone Arteta might feel the need to bring in, but currently, the Gunners are well stocked in that area with Sambi Lokonga and Xhaka.
