Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Marco Reus and Cohen Bramall

Arsenal will reportedly attempt to sign Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus if they can't convince star striker Alexis Sanchez to sign a new contract. The latter's deal expires in 2018, and Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is beginning to fear the Chile international won't agree fresh terms.

MailOnline's Matt Maltby has reported how Arsenal are determined to keep Sanchez but have so far found negotiations over a new contract tough:

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Arsenal are planning to break the £200,000-a-week barrier at the club to keep striker Sanchez, with the board determined to do all they can to ensure that he does not leave the club, even though the Chilean will still have an offer of double that in the Chinese Super League.

Though negotiations have currently stalled, with Arsenal offering around £180,000-a-week wages, the club is resolved to keep him.

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Maltby named Reus as Wenger's top target to replace Sanchez, even noting how the Germany international has "long been linked with a move to the Premier League club."

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Reus makes sense as an alternative to Sanchez, assuming the Gunners will need one. The German is a roving forward who combines pace with clever movement and classy finishing.

Reus is also highly versatile, able to operate on either flank or play through the middle. He's the type of roaming speedster Wenger loves to convert to centre-forward.

The Arsenal boss has done the same with Sanchez, a transition that has borne fruit this season. Since moving through the middle, the former Barcelona man has helped himself to 14 goals and nine assists in UEFA Champions League and Premier League action, per WhoScored.com.

Sanchez isn't the only player Wenger has reshaped into a central striker; Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie both followed a similar career path.

Reus is tailor-made to do the same, provided he can avoid injuries. It's something the 27-year-old has struggled to do in recent years.

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In fact, Reus was forced to miss the last two major international tournaments, the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016, due to injuries.

However, Arsenal may have the right framework in place to safeguard against any further issues, should they sign Reus, according to Goal's Chris Wheatley: "The injuries have been a problem over the last few seasons, and he would work closely with Arsenal’s head of athletic performance enhancement, Shad Forsythe, who he also knows from the German national team."

Reus would be a terrific signing for the Gunners, regardless of what the future holds for Sanchez. He would form a deadly partnership with the Chilean, or let Arsenal feel comfortable about not having to overpay to keep the 28-year-old in the fold.

Gunners Could Sign Non-League Winger

Reus is a player who would help the Gunners win now, but Wenger may already be looking at one for the future. Arsenal are reportedly considering signing non-league winger Cohen Bramall, per Rob Draper of MailOnline.

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Bramall plays for Hednesford Town, residents of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, but Wenger is ready to offer him professional terms, according to Draper: "Arsenal are giving serious consideration to offering a 20-year-old left-winger with no professional experience a two-year deal in a Roy-of-the-Rovers-style ascent from obscurity to one of the world's leading clubs."

Draper also noted how a player once rejected by both Crewe Alexandra and Leek Town recently spent two days training with Arsenal's first team. Bramall is said to have turned heads among Gunners scouts during a trial match against Sheffield Wednesday.

As Draper pointed out, more than one player has made the journey from non-league obscurity to the glamour of England's top flight in recent years. He cited Leicester City's Jamie Vardy, Southampton striker Charlie Austin and Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling as prime examples.

It's beyond too early to speculate about whether or not 20-year-old Bramall could reach those heights, but his arrival would give the Gunners one more precious talent for the youth ranks.

Wenger has never been shy about promoting academy players to the starting XI. Francis Coquelin, Hector Bellerin and Alex Iwobi have all made the jump in previous seasons.

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If Bramall signs, he'd join a contingent of gifted young players looking to reach the first team, a group featuring Chris Willock, Jeff Reine-Adelaide and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Before then, though, Arsenal fans will want to see success among the senior players. Keeping Sanchez is the key to those hopes, even if a deal for Reus would soften the blow of losing the star man.