Arsenal unlikely to pursue Jean Michael Seri transfer as other targets are considered

Interest | Arsenal are monitoring other midfield targets
AFP/Getty Images
James Benge6 June 2018

Arsenal are unlikely to pursue a deal for Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri as the club eye alternative options in central areas.

The Ivorian international is available for a price of £35million and is not short of suitors on the continent and in the Premier League.

Standard Sport revealed last month that the Gunners made contact over a move for Seri but that he preferred a move to Chelsea or Manchester City, while Manchester United have also expressed an interest in the 26-year-old.

Further afield, new Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti has taken an interest in Seri, who could prove to be a replacement for Manchester City-bound Jorginho.

Though Arsenal have not entirely discounted a move for the Ivorian they are casting their net widely in the search for central midfield reinforcements, with Hoffenheim's Kerem Demirbay being monitored.

Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini has also been regularly linked with a move, and his £22m release clause would not place quite the same burden on Arsenal’s £50m initial transfer budget than Seri.

Any moves for new midfielders are further complicated by the futures of Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Wilshere’s Arsenal contract expires at the end of the month and, though there is optimism that he will agree to the improved extension on offer since last month, no final agreement has been struck.

Ramsey has a further 12 months on his terms and the two parties have been in dialogue for several months.

The Welsh midfielder last week said he was looking forward to an “exciting” new era under Unai Emery.

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