Arsenal are closely monitoring and scouting Real Madrid defender Victor Valdepenas, and the North London side could make a move for him.
The 19-year-old wonderkid was initially tipped to become a first-team regular at the Bernabeu under previous manager Xabi Alonso after he made his senior debut against Alaves last month.
Valdepenas is comfortable in a left-back role or in central defence, and this is a defensive profile that the Gunners have been attracted to in recent times. They could be keen on adding Valdepenas to their squad for his versatility and age.
According to reports, Arsenal have kept a close eye on Valdepenas since October and have identified him as a potential target to add a youthful, versatile presence to their back line.
Several other top European clubs are keeping tabs on the Real Madrid defender, but his future remains in Real Madrid’s hands.
If the Gunners were to make a move, it would likely be in the summer, although they would have to beat the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, who are also keeping an eye on the situation, for the Spaniard’s signature.
Arsenal currently have a pool of players capable of playing the positions Valdepenas excels in, but both Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie have struggled to maintain fitness this season, while Myles Lewis-Skelly’s form has dipped, and there are also talks of him being moved to midfield.
He’s also not the first Real Madrid wonderkid Arsenal have registered interest in this season, with Arteta’s men also linked to Turkish international Arda Guler in the last few months.
