Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Berkay Ozcan and Jose Arnaiz

Stuttgart midfield prospect Berkay Ozcan has said he and his agent have been in contact with Premier League side Arsenal. Ozcan isn't the only talented youngster rumoured to be on the Gunners' radar, though, with the north London club also said to have made an approach for Barcelona winger Jose Arnaiz.

Ozcan, still just 19, told beIN Turkey (h/t David Wright of the Daily Star): "My agent and I are in talks with Arsenal. Arsenal have been scouting me for the past two years and send representatives to watch my games."

Significantly, Ozcan indicated he is open to joining the Gunners in the future: "I am not sure if now is the right time to join Arsenal, it may be a bit early for me. I want to prove myself here and keep developing first. Ultimately, Arsenal is the club I want to join in the future, god willing I will achieve my goal."

Ozcan's willingness to move to join Arsenal is good news for manager Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman may need to restock the creative department of his midfield in the near future.

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Wenger's dilemma concerns the future of Mesut Ozil, whose contract expires next summer. Ozil is yet to sign a new deal and has been heavily linked with Premier League rivals Manchester United, with Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News reporting there is "strong interest from Ozil's camp" in pursuing a move to Old Trafford.

Losing Ozil would leave Wenger needing to find another technically gifted playmaker to play between the forward lines. Ozcan would fit the bill after "scoring three goals and providing six assists in his 26 appearances" to help Stuttgart gain promotion to the Bundesliga last season, per Wright.

Ozcan has only made three substitute appearances so far this season, according to WhoScored.com. Yet the Turkey U21 international's talent is undeniable.

Ironically, Ozil can help Arsenal swing a deal for Ozcan after the player told AA (h/t Emre Sarigul of Turkish-Football.com) the 29-year-old has met him in Germany before.

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Ozcan makes sense as a target for Wenger, who values young and technically gifted players. So it's no surprise the Arsenal chief would be showing interest in Arnaiz.

Spanish source Mundo Deportivo (h/t Metro) has revealed how both the Gunners and United have made calls about 22-year-old wide player Arnaiz, while Bayern Munich, Napoli and Juventus are also keen. The precocious talent only signed for Barca from Valladolid in the summer but has a release clause worth £17.8 million, per the report.

Arnaiz has already caught the eye of Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde, who talked up the left-sided player after he scored on his senior debut against Murcia in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday, per Metro.

As a tricky left winger with an eye for goal, Arnaiz would be a good fit for one of the positions behind the striker in Arsenal's 3-4-2-1 formation. Beating the competition to sign him would also continue Wenger's habit of plucking some of the best young players from Barca's reserve and academy levels.

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Wenger signed both Cesc Fabregas and Hector Bellerin from Barcelona's famed La Masia academy before converting them into first-team stars for the Gunners. Having Arnaiz tread a similar path could be one way to offset the potential loss of wide forward Sanchez who, like Ozil, is out of contract in 2018.

For most of his career Wenger has sought to keep Arsenal competitive by replacing key stars with young gems who can be developed into much more. Wrapping up deals for Ozcan and Arnaiz would continue the process.