Arsenal could now have the edge in race for reported £30m midfield target loved by Cesc Fabregas and also an outstanding Star

Arsenal have a big summer ahead of them as Edu and Mikel Arteta look to apply the finishing touches to their squad.

Under Arteta, the Gunners have gone from upper mid-table in the Premier League to competing for the title two seasons in a row.

Arsenal will hope to go all the way in the title race next term, as well as going further in the Champions League after reaching the quarter-finals last time out.

For that, the Gunners will need to bolster their ranks further, adding quality and strength in depth to a squad that’s very nearly the finished product.

There’s a good chance we could see reinforcements in midfield too, amid uncertain futures for the likes of Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira and Albert Sambi Lokonga.

In recent days, speculation intensified regarding Arsenal and Monaco star Youssouf Fofana. According to L’Equipe, the Gunners have been in talks with the player’s camp.

Now, French football journalist Jonathan Johnson has spoken to CaughtOffside about how much Monaco could want for Fofana, as well as highlighting a potential advantage for Arsenal.

What has Jonathan Johnson said about Arsenal and Youssouf Fofana?

Johnson wrote: “Youssouf Fofana has been linked again with Arsenal and we know that Monaco have to sell to survive this summer.

“Getting back into the Champions League lessens that need slightly, so they can be a bit more demanding with the price tag.

“But in general, it makes sense that we’re seeing links with clubs like Arsenal as he is a player who I understand is sought after across Europe at the moment.

“Not just at Arsenal and the Premier League, but PSG have been looking at him as well as he’s a top French talent who hails from the Paris region.

“In terms of Fofana’s price tag, I don’t think we’ll see a similar price tag to when Aurelien Tchouameni went to Real Madrid a couple of years ago.

“But I do think that Monaco will be looking for upwards of around €50million (£43million), which makes it tricky for a club like PSG right now with the uncertainty over Ligue 1 TV rights.

“That could make it quite an advantageous situation for a club like Arsenal or anyone else in the Premier League who might be interested.”

What has Cesc Fabregas said about Arsenal target Youssouf Fofana?

On Planet Premier League, the Arsenal cult hero was asked about what he would make of the idea of Fofana going to Manchester United.

He replied: “I played with him, funnily enough I never heard about Man United, I heard that he was going to AC Milan because [Paulo] Fonseca probably is going to go there, so let’s see where he goes.

“But a very dynamic, strong player, good on the ball, a modern type of player, aggressive, can jump, he’s box to box; I really like Fofana and I think he fits very well the Premier League style.”

Intriguingly, Fabregas tipped Fofana for a move to Liverpool not long ago. Let’s see what happens with regards to Arsenal and Fofana in the coming months.