Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Benedikt Howedes and Sofiane Boufal Rumours

Arsenal have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes but have received encouraging news in their potential signing of Sofiane Boufal from Lille.

Alex Harris of the Daily Star reported Royal Blues captain Howedes has tied himself to the Bundesliga club until 2020, signing a new deal to remain in Gelsenkirchen.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt was delighted the centre-back has turned away from a potential departure, per Harris.

"We are very pleased that Benedikt has decided to take this step, because there is a clear commitment of a guiding player for FC Schalke 04," said Heldt. "It shows that he has confidence in our plans, in which he plays an important role as team captain and defender."

Sascha Steinbach/Getty Images

SportBild (h/t Sport Witness) suggested Gunners manager Arsene Wenger was targeting the Germany international before the January transfer window. The report said Howedes would have been available for as little as €10 million in the summer as his previous deal contained a clause.

The central defender, who can also play as a full-back, has previously stated his desire to move to the Premier League—according to Sport Witness—but it now appears he will remain in the German league. 

VI-Images/Getty Images

Howedes was a member of his country's successful World Cup-winning squad in 2014 and has played 286 times in all competitions for Schalke, per Harris.

The player commented after signing his new deal to remain at the Veltins-Arena, as quoted by Harris.

"I have signed the contract with a beating heart," Howedes said. "Schalke 04 is a fantastic club with great fans. We have a young, viable team that is very ambitious."

As the opportunity to sign the German evaporates, the possibility of buying Boufal grows after his club hinted he will be sold in the summer.

Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Tom Olver of Metro claimed the Gunners "can seal" a transfer for the attacker, quoting Lille sporting director Jean-Michel Vandamme talking about the player's possible destinations in the summer and mentioning an expected fee:

"

Inter and Juve have made no official offers so far.

They only probed with our intermediaries, the agents from Italy, Germany, Spain and England.

Boufal costs at least £15.6million, that’s the minimum.

[...]

In June there’s a possibility that he may leave, though there are Premier League clubs after him too.

"

The 22-year-old Parisian is a rising prospect in Ligue 1, developing into a fine goalscoring midfielder, fitting manager Arsene Wenger's prototypical attacker. 

Here is a video of Boufal in action:

The player has scored six goals in 20 Ligue 1 appearances this season, according to WhoScored.com, and would fit like a glove into Wenger's favoured tactics. 

However, Goal's Robin Bairner pointed to Boufal's recent dip in form and noted a Premier League move could be put at risk by his inconsistency for Lille:

Boufal is a burgeoning talent and does not deserve to be fully judged at this stage of his career.

He could benefit from an additional 18 months in France before he considers a move abroad or a switch to one of France's UEFA Champions League qualifying clubs.

The midfielder is blessed with a strong skill set, but he would not currently step into the Gunners starting XI.

Boufal has much developing left to do, and it is debatable whether he will ever be ready to make a jump to the Premier League with one of England's top clubs. 

The player certainly has the potential to progress, but he must find consistency at domestic level first.