Arsenal remain firmly in the race to sign AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie this summer, according to the Gazzetta Dello Sport.
The Italian publication claims the Ivorian international is “already in the crosshairs” of Premier League clubs, particularly the Gunners, who are keeping tabs on the player’s contract situation.
As we reported last week, Kessie has one year remaining on his contract at the San Siro, with the Rossoneri struggling to get an agreement over an extension to his current deal.
Gazzetta have added slightly more detail to the story by saying that the 24-year-old’s agents are demanding a salary of €6m a year, which is almost triple the €2.2m he is currently earning.
Milan are prepared to pay Kessie around €4m, but that isn’t enough to bridge the gap between the two sides, with Arsenal “above all” other English teams monitoring negotiations very closely.
It is believed that the Ivorian is valued at around €50m (£43m) but if the midfielder refuses to extend his contract, that price tag could drop substantially over the coming weeks.