Arsenal Transfer News: Lucas Silva €15m Bid Reported, Henrikh Mkhitaryan Eyed

Arsenal have reportedly offered Cruzeiro €15 million for impressive youngster Lucas Silva, a sum which could see the Gunners trump Real Madrid for the midfielder's signature.

Jose Felix Diaz of Marca reports the Brazilian club are "not in the mood for negotiating" and will wait for Silva's valuation to be met. He suggests Madrid are willing to pay €12 million, but that Arsenal have "already" offered to meet Cruzeiro's asking price.

Silva "already has an agreement in place" with Madrid, according to Diaz, meaning a hang-up on cost could provide the Gunners with an unlikely route to securing his future.

However, the player's father, Miguel Vieira, has suggested a plan is already in place for Silva and his family to move to Spain.

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"The objective for Lucas and at the same time for his family is that he moves in six months or so," said Vieira, as reported by MG Superesportes (h/t Alvaro De La Rosa of AS). "The important thing for him is to have pre-season with the rest of the team and also play in the Libertadores with Cruzeiro."

Wenger may have to search for alternative targets in January. Arsenal certainly need to strengthen at the earliest possible moment, particularly in midfield, where the team's lightweight nature continues to be exposed.

Southampton are reportedly concerned that Morgan Schneiderlin is "unwilling to commit to a new contract," as reported by Dave Kidd of the Daily Mirror. The French midfielder possesses the physical stature Wenger's team so badly need and could fulfill an important shielding role in front of Arsenal's defence.

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Like Silva, Schneiderlin is a smart distributor of the ball. He has even proved himself something of a goalscorer this season—netting three in 13 Premier League appearances, per WhoScored.com—and continues to improve on English soil.

Silva is four years younger and would likely need longer to adapt.

Meanwhile, B/R UK's James McNicholas believes Sporting Lisbon's William Carvalho is the man to plug Arsenal's midfield:

Wenger is also said to be hunting further creative spark. Borussia Dortmund's Henrikh Mkhitaryan is reportedly a possibility at £18 million, per Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express.

Liverpool are allegedly interested in the Armenian's services, which may be easier to grasp due to BVB's poor start to the season. Jurgen Klopp's side are currently 14th, with Mkhitaryan yet to score or assist in 11 Bundesliga performances, per WhoScored.

January should push Wenger to assess his priorities.

Midfield and defensive reinforcements are a must if the team is to challenge for an unlikely title. Only Alexis Sanchez's goals have stopped this also being true of the Gunners' forwards.

Wenger remains under great pressure and is running out of opportunities to show he is the right manager to take Arsenal forward.