Arsenal eye cut-price deal for Barcelona man as Liga giants want £23m

Arsenal are reportedly considering a £23m move for Barcelona winger Arda Turan, with the Catalan giants looking to cut their losses.

The Turkish international joined the Spanish outfit in a £35m deal last summer, but after sitting out until January due to the club’s transfer embargo, he failed to have the desired impact in the second half of the season.

According to Marca, Barca are now looking at the idea of selling him after he made just 13 appearances in all competitions last season, although the player wishes to remain and prove his worth at the Nou Camp.

However, with Denis Suarez joining the club this summer, Turan could see his opportunities limited further moving forward, and that in turn has opened up the possibility of Arsenal swooping for him in a reduced deal.

Marca add that Barcelona are willing to listen to offers and they will even accept a £12m loss on the player in order to ease their wage bill and create more space in the squad.

Should Arsenal be interested, they are expected to face competition from Dortmund and Fenerbahce, although the latter would seem a controversial choice given Turan’s history with Galatasaray.

In turn, Wenger will likely have a decision to make on whether or not he wants the 29-year-old with the Turkish star’s age likely to come into play too.

Turan endured a miserable Euro 2016 where he was unable to inspire the Turks out of their group and was also booed by his own fans in their game against Spain as he continued to struggle.

However, he still possesses plenty of quality, and as Wenger continues to look for individuals capable of improving his squad after snapping up Granit Xhaka last month, he may well be considered a realistic option and important piece to add to the group at the Emirates.