It was reported earlier this week that Arsene Wenger had cooled his interest in Morgan Schneiderlin given the meteoric rise of Francis Coquelin, but the Frenchman seems unwilling make him an automatic starter as he looks to bring down William Carvalho to offer healthy competition for his compatriot.

The Portuguese international was widely linked with Arsenal last summer as rumours suggested that the deal collapsed when it looked all but set to come to fruition.

The Gunners seem reluctant to give up on the midfield powerhouse as recent reports from Portugal reveal that negotiation over a £21.5 million move is already underway between the involved clubs.

Portuguese media also suggest that the price can drop further, if the Emirates Stadium club are ready to send Yaya Sanogo the other way. Given the multitude of options that Arsenal have upfront, odds are slim that the French striker gets regular playing time.

In addition, Arsene Wenger can also pull off a good business by getting the defensive midfielder for a slashed price by sacrificing a player, who is only deemed surplus to requirements.

Mikel Arteta, despite looking to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium for one more season, does not seem to be featuring for the Gunners on a regular basis next season given his obvious senescence and it is high time that Arsene Wenger got rid of Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby, who are known to be disappointing for different reasons.

This signals that signing a defensive midfielder in the summer is mandatory to gun for success next season.