DEAL SOON: Arsenal started negotiations with €20m-rated Serbia international

Mikel Arteta is looking to improve his midfield options with the signing of Ivan Ilic. Serbia international is rated highly across Europe, and the Spanish manager knows all about the midfielder having worked with him during his time at Man City.

Ilic left the PL club without making his debut for them. But Ivan has made a name for himself in Serie A. The 21-year-old midfielder was a part of Serbia’s World Cup squad as well, and it will be interesting to see if the Gunners can snap him up in the upcoming windows.

The report claims that the London giants could make a move in January. But a transfer is more likely to happen at the end of the campaign. It is no secret that Arsenal will need to add more quality and depth to their midfield, and the Serbian midfielder could be a solid, long-term investment.

Mikel Arteta has not been able to rotate his preferred midfielders Partey and Xhaka this campaign because of the lack of depth in the squad. The arrival of the Serbian will give the Spanish manager more options to work with, and Arteta will be able to rotate the squad more frequently and keep the footballers fresh for the big matches.

A move to Arsenal could be an attractive option for Ilic, and it stays to be seen how the situation develops. However, Ivan needs to play regularly in order to continue his development.