Arsenal are reportedly set to bid for Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic and will be boosted by the news that Barcelona will be holding talks with Pedro Rodriguez about his future.

According to Jamie Sanderson of Metro.co.uk, “Manchester United and Chelsea are also keen (on Kovacic), but reports in Spain say Arsenal are set to launch a bid to try and get the pass-master signed up.“

Meanwhile, according to Lluis Miguelsanz of SPORT, Barcelona’s director of international football Ariedo Braida has begun planning for next season with Luis Enrique and will discuss Pedro’s future with the club.

Kovacic would be an excellent signing for the Gunners, although, according to Simone Lorini of Tuttomercatoweb (via Lewis Rudd of Metro.co.uk), the youngster’s agent has claimed he is happy at Inter:

He has signed a five-year renewal and believes in the future at Inter. If he had not been happy in Milan he would not have extended the agreement. If he does not play, Mateo is always happy. He is 21-years-old and is a national team player, playing for Inter.

It’s alright I would say. Arsenal? I do not speak with anyone. He is an Inter player and will continue.

Should Arsene Wenger prise him away from Serie A, it will be quite a coup. The Croatian has caught the eye of The Guardian’s James Horncastle with his impressive performances for club and country:

It’s easy to see why:

Per Squawka, Kovacic has won 57 percent of his duels in Serie A, completing 64 percent of his attempts to beat an opponent. His powerful dribbling and willingness to get forward has seen a return of five goals and one assist this season.

Though Kovacic may not be the defensive linchpin that Arsenal need in midfield, he is a promising young player and would serve as a far better option than the ageing Mikel Arteta and the injury-prone Abou Diaby, and he would prove an excellent addition to the Gunners’ squad.

So too would Pedro, who has admitted to having a difficult time of late, per beIN Sports (h/t Sport’s S.Dacal). He said:

It is clear that it is difficult to find a place in this team.

You can see throughout the whole season that I have had very few chances [to play], but I must wait for them and take advantage of them when they come.

I will value my future in the summer and I will talk with the club then. But as for now I am focused on the club, really keen to play and to play well.

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar ahead of him in the pecking order, it’s easy to understand why the Spaniard has seen his time on the pitch restricted.

Despite looking far from his best on occasions and starting relatively few games this season, Pedro has managed to score 10 goals and garner six assists in all competitions.

As noted by B/R’s own Gianni Verschueren, the 27-year-old is a reliable winger, capable of finesse and at home in a possession-based system.

This would serve him well at a club like Arsenal, and with the likes of Pedro and Kovacic, the Gunners would be able to start aiming for higher targets than simply a top four spot.

To truly return to a title-challenging force, however, neither of these players should be a priority based on Wenger’s needs for defensive improvement.

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