Arsenal are reported to be lining up a seismic move for a Real Madrid defender.
The Gunners have shown in the past 12 months that competition for places at the Emirates Stadium is paramount to what Mikel Arteta feels will bring success to the club.
Mikel Arteta wants defender for Arsenal from Real Madrid to add further competition
Arsenal's defence has been colossal over the last two to three seasons, with Gabriel and William Saliba helping to form one of Europe's most solid centre-back partnerships.
Add to that the form seen by Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori, Arteta hasn't been scared to bring in Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White when needed to add a reminder of that fierce competition for places running through the side.
But with one particular talent from Real Madrid catching the eye, Arsenal's relentless scheduling means Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta want to bring in another player to help push their squad on again.
Expected to progress deep into the Champions League this season, the Gunners will want to take an extra step after being beaten by eventual winners PSG in the semi-finals last term.
According to the latest news from CaughtOffside, Arsenal are closely watching Los Blancos star Victor Valdepenas and want to push ahead with a move in the summer months which could spell trouble for Lewis-Skelly, who has struggled to get into the side of late.
The 19-year-old Spaniard has a �43m release clause in his contract, according to BBC Sport, having made his La Liga debut for Real Madid already this season.
FourFourTwo have already delved into his profile as a player, with Mark White believing he has the capabilities to reach the very top of the game in the next few years.
"Comparisons are also there with team-mates Antonio Rudiger and Federico Valverde. Valdepenas boasts the kind of power that makes him perfect for defending channels, he can strike a ball with venom and should he develop a little more positionally, he could well be an option in midfield one day," he said in a scout report.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal are just keeping tabs on the young Spaniard at present, and with Dean Huijsen too in the current first-team set-up, will Valdepeas's chances be limited looking forward?
That could be a bargaining tool for Berta and his team, but with Piero Hincapie only on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, it remains to be seen what the thinking is as the Gunners head into the summer.
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