Arsenal have contacted Barcelona over the availability of Raphinha and Ferran Torres, as their search for a winger continues.
Arsenal were keen on signing Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk to fulfil that role, but Chelsea managed to hijack that deal at the last minute, paying Shakhtar Donetsk £89 million to acquire his services.
Consequently, attentions at the Emirates Stadium have now reportedly turned to Barca duo Raphinha and Torres, with officials at the Nou Camp contacted about the possibility of one, if not both, being signed before the end of the January transfer window, according to 90min.
Sky Sports also added on Sunday that Arsenal have contacted Raphinha’s agent Deco directly.
In the summer, Raphinha favoured a move to Barcelona over Arsenal, joining the Catalan giants from Leeds United for £55 million. Signing a five-year contract, Raphinha claimed the move was a "dream come true".
Despite his transfer fee, though, the Brazilian has struggled to nail down a starting spot in Xavi's line-up. The Spanish manager has instead preferred Ousmane Dembele as his primary option on the right-wing, limiting Raphinha to substitute appearances.
While he has played in the majority of games, 23 across all competitions, he has completed 90 minutes in La Liga just once. During those 23 matches, the 26-year-old has scored three goals and set up a further five.
Reports suggest Raphinha wants to stay at Barcelona and reject Arsenal's advances, but, should he be forced out of the club, the Gunners will be waiting with a tempting offer.
Ferran Torres, meanwhile, has suffered a similar fate to Raphinha this season. The arrival of Robert Lewandowski in the summer has limited Torres' playing time - he's started just six La Liga games, completing 90 minutes only once.
He has featured in all but one league game this season, the majority of which as a sub, and has scored five times in 22 games across all competitions.
Torres only signed 12 months ago from Manchester City, for around £50 million. However, a return to England is a possibility considering his lack of serious match action at the Spanish league leaders.
It isn't clear whether Arsenal would sign both players should Barcelona make them available, but both present sound alternatives to Mudryk, and they also have proven Premier League experience.
