Santi Cazorla wants to come to Arsenal after Arsene Wenger targeted the Spanish winger.
Cazorla, 27, could be allowed to leave troubled Malaga for £16m this summer with the Spanish club facing a bizarre financial crisis.
Arsenal boss Wenger is keen on Cazorla after also making enquiries last summer before he joined Malaga from Villarreal.
Cazorla would be seen as the perfect big-money signing to please the fans if want-away Robin van Persie leaves Arsenal this summer.
Spain international Cazorla, part of the Euro 2012 winning squad, has been sounded out and has made it clear to his advisers he is interested in joining the Gunners.
Malaga, despite being owned by a billionaire, are facing meltdown and potential relegation which has left Cazorla and other top players ready to quit this summer.
Cazorla has a 45 million Euro buy-out clause but could leave for less than half of that because Malaga need to pay off debts to avoid punishment by the Spanish football authorities.
Malaga's Qatari owner Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani can wipe out the debts - which include around £3m from Cazorla's transfer fee still owed to Villarreal - but has chosen not to so far and the Spanish FA are threatening to clamp down.
Cazorla is one of several players owed unpaid wages and wants to quit with the club now seeing his sale as the easiest way to solve their financial problems.
The winger, who has won 45 caps for Spain, is a very different player to van Persie but would be a popular signing, can play wide and would lift the mood at Arsenal.
Manchester United, Juventus and Manchester City are in a three-way battle to sign van Persie who has refused to sign a new contract.
Arsenal have knocked back bids from all three with City boss Roberto Mancini demanding the club go all-out to sign him while Juve and United are also poised to make improved offers.
Arsenal want in excess of £20m for van Persie who is 29 next month, only has a year left on his contract and has a poor injury record.
The concern for the Cazorla deal is that it may not get the green light until van Persie's future is resolved with Wenger determined to keep his squad list and wage bill in check.
Arsenal are hoping to offload Nicklas Bendtner this week with Galatasaray being allowed to talk to the Danish striker while AC Milan have also expressed an interest.
Andrey Arshavin is eyeing a move to the Middle East which would also free up money and a place on the left for Cazorla.
Meanwhile, Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny has signed a new five year contract with the club as first revealed by MirrorFootball.
Koscielny, who has signed up until 2017, said: "I'm delighted to have reached agreement with the Club. I have had a fantastic time here and look forward to an exciting future with Arsenal."
Source : Mirror.co.uk
