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Mikel Arteta has been keeping close tabs on Osasuna midfielder Jon Moncayola and wants Arsenal to make a move in the summer, according to reports in Spain.

Arsenal could be overhauling their midfield in the summer transfer window. They wanted to make adjustments to the position in January, but failed to bring in new faces.

Still, they allowed Ainsley Maitland-Niles to leave on loan. It remains to be seen what their plans are for him after, when there will be just one year left on his contract. And in even more pressing circumstances, Mohamed Elneny’s deal will expire at the end of the season.

There have also been fresh doubts about whether Granit Xhaka will stay despite signing a new contract last summer.

It is clear that Arsenal will need to replenish the ranks in the middle of the park. They have already been scouring the market for potential options.

According to Todofichajes, one man Arteta is an admirer of is Jon Moncayola. Now 23 years old, he stepped up to the Osasuna first team in 2019 and has not looked back.

He made 27 La Liga appearances in his debut top-flight season and followed it up with 36 league outings last term. This time around, he has played 22 times so far.

Several Spanish clubs, such as Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao (for whom he would be eligible to play for due to being born in the Basque region), have been following his development.

Mikel Arteta aware of Jon Moncayola

But Todofichajes claim they now face competition from England, where Arsenal’s manager has been casting glances back towards his own country of birth.

Arteta is said to be an admirer of Moncayola and would welcome him to the Emirates Stadium. In fact, the Osasuna academy graduate may have overtaken Juventus’ Arthur Melo on their midfield shortlist.

There is a release clause of €22m (approximately £18.5m) in Moncayola’s contract with Osasuna. But Arsenal could be willing to pay it in the summer to make sure of a deal, as long as they can convince the player too.

Moncayola is under a remarkable contract with Osasuna running all the way until 2031. But there are no guarantees he will spend all those years with them; indeed, Osasuna will be powerless if Arsenal pay his clause and the player wants the move.

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Arsenal midfielder exit talks scheduled

Someone who could be leaving Arsenal’s midfield for good is the loaned-out Lucas Torreira.

Torreira is currently spending the season on loan at Fiorentina from Arsenal. It is his second loan spell away from the north London club. At least on an individual basis, this stint is going more smoothly than last season’s time with Atletico Madrid.

Despite becoming a La Liga title winner last season, Torreira rarely started for Atletico. In contrast, he has been featuring heavily in Florence. Fiorentina have given him 18 Serie A starts and two substitute appearances, plus one Coppa Italia start, so far.

From those games, the defensive midfielder has provided two goals and one assist. His general performance levels have also been more representative of the form that he showed previously in Italy with Sampdoria, which prompted Arsenal to buy him in the first place.

Now, his current form could lead to his next permanent transfer. According to La Repubblica, Fiorentina will meet with Arsenal in the coming days to discuss their option to buy Torreira.

As per the terms of the loan agreement, La Viola can purchase Torreira for €15m. They could yet ask for a discount on that figure, but Arsenal may want it paying in full.

Given Torreira’s worth to Fiorentina, it should be a worthwhile investment from their end. However, there is a condition that could prevent it from happening.

The report indicates that qualifying for European football will be imperative to Fiorentina’s hopes of keeping Torreira for good.

They haven’t been in Europe since the 2016-17 season, but have an outside chance this time around. They are currently in eighth place in Serie A, three points behind Lazio and Roma who have each played a game more.

Finishing seventh would give Fiorentina a Europa Conference League spot, which would be the minimum requirement. They have 15 games left in their league season to ensure they get over the line.

READ MORE: Arteta puts transfer block on £20m Arsenal exit to Real Madrid as Ancelotti ‘worry’ continues

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