Lucas Paqueta transfer stance revealed with Arsenal interest confirmed - Tielemans & Martinez links

Arsenal hold interest in Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta - who is also keen on a move to the Premier League - but the Gunners have not yet submitted any offers for the player.

Sources close to Paqueta, including his agent Gabriel Uram, have insisted to LondonWorld that there have been no official bids tabled by the North London outfit, but that the next few weeks will be pivotal for his future.

The Brazil international has been subject to interest from Arsenal for some time, and was reportedly even watched by Gunners scouts towards the end of last season.

Lyon have not closed the door on Paqueta leaving, either; with their notoriously shrewd club president Jean-Michel Aulas admitting interest in the 24-year-old while holding firm on his valuation — thought to be somewhere between £60-70m.

It is no secret that Arsenal are on the hunt for a new midfielder to add to the summer signings of Marquinhos, Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus.

Youri Tielemans is another name high on the Gunners’ list, with the club laying the groundwork on that particular deal in the months before the Premier League campaign finished.

There is a feeling that Tielemans would be keen on a move to Arsenal but, similarly to Paqueta, there have been no official bids thus far.

The suggestion is that Arteta and Edu are still assessing the market to decide on their best options, with outgoings also a key consideration.

Arsenal had anticipated that Lucas Torreira would have already moved on, with Fiorentina initially agreeing to pay a fixed fee to sign him at the end of his loan spell in Italy, before pulling out at the last minute.

The return of other loanees such as Ainsley Maitland-Niles further complicates things in terms of midfield signings.

Solutions are also expected to be found for the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Hector Bellerin and Bernd Leno, none of whom are in Arteta’s plans for the upcoming season and who are all keen for a new challenge elsewhere.

As dominos begin to fall in the market, the expectation is that there will soon be further clarity on the futures of some of the players Arsenal are keen to sell — which in turn will free up the necessary space to push for their remaining targets.

The profiles of player the club are keen to bring in have become increasingly clear in recent weeks. Alongside the aforementioned midfield targets, another forward and a left-sided defensive player have become the main focus in terms of positions.

Lisandro Martinez was one name that Arteta was particularly keen on, however Ajax’s valuation of the player fell outside of what Arsenal were willing to pay.

Despite at one point feeling confident of striking a deal for the Argentinian - who is desperate to play in England - it is now thought Manchester United are firmly in the driving seat.

Arsenal fly to the USA this week for their second overseas trip of pre-season and with the Premier League season fast approaching, Edu and co are working hard behind the scenes to get their remaining business done.