Arsenal are willing to offer a fringe player of their squad in part-exchange for Leicester attacking midfielder James Maddison, according to reports.
Mikel Arteta's side are looking to bolster their squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, with Ben White set to follow Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares through the entrance door.
A deal for Brighton centre-back White is expected to be completing in the coming days, and Arsenal have now turned their attention elsewhere.
Emile Smith Rowe is set to sign a new long-term deal to keep him at the Emirates Stadium, but Arteta still wants to add another attacking midfielder to the ranks.
Mesut Ozil departed the club in January, while Martin Odegaard has returned to Real Madrid at the end of his loan spell.
Arsenal have identified Maddison as a potential replacement for Odegaard, although prising him away from Leicester could prove difficult.
According to the Daily Mail, the Gunners are looking to sweeten the deal by including a makeweight.
The report states that Arsenal are considering offering either Reiss Nelson or Ainsley Maitland-Niles to Leicester in part-exchange for Maddison.
Arsenal believe a bid of £50m would not be sufficient, hence the possibility of Nelson or Maitland-Niles being included in a player-plus-cash proposal.
Both players are available for transfer, and Leicester looked at Maitland-Niles in January.
The Foxes are also said to be in the market for a wide forward, and Nelson might fit the bill.
Maddison would be an excellent signing for Arsenal. Last season was not his best in a Leicester shirt, and he found himself out of the team at times. But the 24-year-old would bring creativity to an Arsenal side that lacked invention and guile at times last term.
Yet it is still hard to see Leicester letting Maddison go. Brendan Rodgers no doubt sees him as essential to his plans in the East Midlands, and could easily veto a sale.
Arsenal would be advised to make sure they have a couple of alternatives on their shopping list.
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