Arsenal have reportedly moved ahead of their Premier League rivals in the race to sign Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho this summer.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a bid for the Brazilian international, with his future in Catalonia looking increasingly uncertain.
Barcelona are open to offers around €80m for the former Liverpool man, with Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirming their €120m purchase option on him has expired.
According to reports from Le10 Sport, Mikel Arteta is determined to secure his ‘dream target’ ahead of the 2020-21 season, and his side have now edged in front of Manchester United and Chelsea.
Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian opened the door for a return to the Premier League earlier this month, telling a interview with Talksport his client would ‘love another chance in England’.
The 27-year old has struggled to secure a consistent starting spot with the La Liga giants, with just 38 league starts since his arrival in January 2018.
His loan at Bayern Munich has also failed to reignite the form he showed at Anfield, with a disappointing return of just two Bundesliga goals in 2020.
