Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Gunners Reportedly Close to Landing Santi Cazorla

Arsene Wenger continues to aggressively pursue transfer options while he waits for the Robin van Persie situation to play itself out. The Arsenal manager is now close to landing Santi Cazorla from Malaga, according to the Daily Mirror.

The report states Cazorla, who was allowed to miss training on Thursday, would join the Gunners on a permanent move for a sum in the area of £17 million. The Gunners are also close to bringing in Nuri Sahin on a loan from Real Madrid.

It's unclear if these moves signal that something might finally be changing on the Van Persie front, which has remained stagnant for weeks, but either way, they would be two big additions for Arsenal with the new season fast approaching.

The Gunners have been chasing Cazorla for quite some time, hoping to land him for a bargain price due to Malaga's ongoing financial problems. The 27-year-old midfielder has also made 45 appearances for the dominant Spanish national team.

After spending a handful of seasons with Villarreal, the winger moved to Malaga last July and proceeded to score nine goals in 38 games. He should be in the midst of his peak season, which explains why Wenger is pushing so hard for him right now.

He would bring some much-needed pace to the Arsenal attack, especially if Van Persie does eventually find the escape route he's been looking for in recent weeks. It will take a group of players, not just one, to replace his production up front.

Cazorla's ability to play multiple positions would also give Wenger multiple options when it comes to building his formation, something that always makes a manager's job a lot easier.

Adding a reliable midfielder like Sahin would also be a smart move for Wenger, even if it's only for one season. The Turkish star received only limited playing time for Madrid last season due to a combination of injuries and a stacked roster.

He would see the field a lot more with the Gunners, who have already been hit by the injury bug, and the season hasn't even started. Tomas Rosicky and Jack Wilshere are both sidelined, leaving a hole in Arsenal's midfield depth.

The creative Sahin would slide in perfectly and help generate more scoring chances, whether they be during the run of play or off free kicks.

Although neither deal has been made official yet, Wenger appears close to a serious coup that would provide a huge boost to the Gunners right in the nick of time.