Arsenal have opened talks with La Liga club Real Valladolid over their defensive starlet Ivan Fresneda, 90min understands.
90min revealed earlier this month that a host of Premier League clubs, including the Gunners, were looking to land 19-year-old Fresneda.
Now, Arsenal are looking to seal a deal for the teenager and manager Mikel Arteta has even played his own personal part, direcly speaking to the player about the prospect of moving to north London.
Real Madrid held an option on Fresneda which could have seen the former youth product move to the Santiago Bernabeu to bolster their right-sided options. However, Carlo Ancelotti has told Los Blancos to allow Fresneda to move on elsewhere and, as such, Arsenal have made their move.
Newcastle remain interested in the player, having already spoken to Valladolid. Wolves have also joined the chase, with new head coach Julen Lopetegui recommending that they make a move. But sources believe that Arsenal are very much in pole position to land him.
Fresneda himself has admitted that he was flattered to be linked with a move but was leaving negotiations up to his agent.
"It's nice to be linked to big teams in Europe, but I belong to a historic club in Spain like Real Valladolid. I am focused on the team and outside of possible negotiations, that takes my representative," the teenager told a press conference earlier this week.
On this edition of The Chronicles of a Gooner, part of the 90min podcast network, Harry Symeou discusses Arsenal's imminent signing of Brighton winger Leandro Trossard. If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
Source : 90min