Arsenal Transfer News: Rafinha Targeted Amid Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez Rumours

Arsenal are reportedly planning a move for Barcelona midfielder Rafinha Alcantara to help bolster their squad if Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez leave at the end of the season.

According to Mundo Deportivo (via Calciomercato.com), the Gunners view the Brazilian midfielder as an ideal replacement for Ozil and have not been put off by the fact he has been sidelined since April because of a knee injury.

The Gunners and manager Arsene Wenger believe Rafinha could add the "technical quality and creativity in a midfield role" that would be lost if German Ozil leaves the club, the report noted.

Ozil and Sanchez's departures at the end of the campaign are becoming more and more likely, as they have yet to sign new deals at the Emirates Stadium.

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Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Rafinha is one of three players Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde is keen to move on—the others are Arda Turan and Paco Alcacer—per Lluis Miguelsanz of Sport.

The Brazil international graduated from Barca's famed academy, La Masia, and made his senior debut for the Camp Nou giants in 2011.

He looked set to become a more regular first-team fixture in 2014 under then-manager Luis Enrique, but his career has stalled somewhat since because of consistent injury troubles.

A fit and firing Rafinha, though, could be a major asset at Arsenal, as he is a supremely talented player with fantastic distribution skills and admirable defensive acumen.

If Barca are keen to get rid of him, the Gunners may also be able to sign him for relatively cheap, although his contract at the Camp Nou still has more than two years left to run.