By support

11th Jul, 2016 | 1:04pm

Transfer hunt steps up as Arsenal submit formal midfielder bid

By Dominic Toner

Arsenal have accelerated their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan by lodging a bid, according to a report.

Spanish publication Don Balon claim that Arsenal have now submitted a formal offer for the midfielder and hope a deal to bring him to the Emirates can be agreed soon.

German side Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray from Turkey have also reportedly made bids for a player who is in demand across Europe.

The Londoners had recently shown their interest in the 29-year-old, but Arsene Wenger looks keen to seal a deal and complete his team’s third signing of the window.

Turan has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp, after making just 18 La Liga appearances and scoring just two goals since joining the club in January.

He could not find his way past Ivan Rakitic or Andres Iniesta in the second half of the 2015-16 season and started just one game in the final two months of the campaign.

Barcelona look set to sell the Turkey captain, despite four years still remaining on his contract.

If Turan completes a move to London it would be the first time he has played in the English league, with his only previous club experience coming in Turkey and Spain.

Wenger has money to spend and has brought in Borussia Mochengladbach captain Granit Xhaka and Japanese wonderkid Takuma Asano already this window.

In other Arsenal transfer news, Charlie Nicholas believes the club should make a tactical change next season after star’s Euro 2016 performances.