Arsenal are now leading the race for Fenerbahce attacker Arda Guler, having leapfrogged Newcastle United in the race for his signature, according to a report from Football Insider.
What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?
Arsenal are thought to be very close to finally agreeing a fee for Declan Rice, with just disagreements over the payment structure left after a £105m total bid on Tuesday, as Manchester City now pull out of the race.
The Gunners are also advancing in their pursuit of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that a deal is set to be completed "this week", after agreeing a fee of an initial £60m, plus £5m in add-ons.
Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing in new attacking options this summer, and the manager is preparing to make room in the squad by allowing either Eddie Nketiah or Folarin Balogun leave the club, although he will not sanction the departure of both.
Guler meanwhile has been linked with a switch to north London for quite some time, and Arsenal now appear to have made progress in their pursuit of the youngster, with Football Insider reporting they are leading the race and "seriously exploring a deal".
Having overtaken rival suitors Newcastle, the Gunners are now in pole position for the 18-year-old, but there is still a great deal of competition from abroad, with European giants Barcelona and Ajax also said to be interested.
The Fenerbahce star, who has been dubbed "Turkish Messi" and "the next Ozil", is one of the most sought-after young players in world football, and Arsenal are now seriously exploring a deal this summer.
Who is Arda Guler?
Not only has the starlet been compared to Messi, his play-style has meant he has also drawn comparisons with former Gunners star Mesut Ozil, with journalist Tom Maston describing him as the "golden boy of Turkish football."
Despite his age, the Ankara-born ace has already cemented himself as a consistent starter for Fenerbahce, making 20 Turkish Super Lig appearances last season, during which time he weighed in with four goals and four assists.
With an average WhoScored match rating of 7.28, the attacking midfielder was ranked as the second-best performing player for Fenerbahce in the league last season, averaging two key passes per game, the highest figure of any player in the squad.
An average of 1.3 tackles per game is indicative of the Turkey international's willingness to pitch in defensively, and highlights that he is a well-rounded player, but his attacking qualities are undoubtedly his most exciting attributes.
Guler is certainly one for the future, but his performances in Turkey demonstrate he would not be far off pushing for a place in the Arsenal starting XI, should he complete a switch to north London this summer.