Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Gunners Eye Free Transfer Swoop for Riccardo Montolivo

The Daily Mirror reports that Arsene Wenger remains tempted by a move for classy Italian playmaker Riccardo Montolivo.

According to the Mirror, the Arsenal boss dispatched scouts to study Montolivo's performance for Italy against Slovenia on Tuesday night.

Montolivo is refusing to commit to a new deal with Fiorentina and could be available on a free transfer this summer.

The technically gifted schemer would add plenty of flair and craft to Arsenal's midfield ranks.  At 26, Montolivo is younger than recent acquisitions Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun.

He possesses the varied passing range and international pedigree to emerge as a more long-term replacement for Cesc Fabregas.

A free transfer capture of a player as skillful as Montolivo would be a major coup for Wenger.  Montolivo has the talent to ensure that Arsenal can remain competitive with the big spending Manchester clubs and Chelsea.

But Montolivo's annoying habit of drifting in and out of games should provide a note of caution for the Gunners. The mercurial midfield ace can be guilty of disappearing when his team needs him the most.

Having regularly suffered with the similar failings of Andrey Arshavin, Wenger would need to think long and hard before inviting another temperamental talent into the team.

Another drawback could also be the relatively poor record of Italian players in adapting to the confines of the Premier League.

Barring a few notable exceptions such as the magnificent Gianfranco Zola, not many Italian players have found success in England.

With Arsenal fans desperate for the manager to include more Premier League tested players in his recruitment policy, Montolivo represents a big risk for Wenger.

But the Italian international's cultured passing and powerful shot could outweigh the risk and make him too good to refuse on a free transfer.

Montolivo is the kind of player who would excel in Arsenal's flowing style of football. Wenger will need to be decisive to fend off competition from AC Milan for his signature.