Arsenal enter talks to sign 22-year-old defender for £15m: report

Arsenal have reportedly entered talks with Ligue 1 side Reims to sign defender Axel Disasi.

The Gunners are likely to reinforce the defence at the end of the season and of late, left-back Layvin Kurzawa has been linked with a Bosman move to the Emirates.

A fresh report from The Mail has now claimed that the club are already in discussions with Reims to recruit Disasi, whose contract expires at the end of next season.

The same publication cites that the 22-year-old could be available for around £15m and the Gunners would be willing to sign him on a five-year contract.

Mikel Arteta will have the services of William Saliba at his disposal next term following the loan stint at Saint-Etienne and the teenager has been fancied to take up one of the central defensive roles.

However, it appears that the club could make another signing for the position and Disasi has caught the eye, having helped Reims maintain the joint-best defensive record in Europe’s top-five leagues (21 goals conceded in 28 games).

The north London side have pursued the likes of Matteo Guendouzi and Saliba from the French league over the past couple of summer transfer windows and there seems the intention of going through a similar route, particularly with the limited summer budget.

Should the Gunners land Disasi, it could pave the way for the exit of either Sokratis Papastathopoulos or Shkodran Mustafi, who will enter the final year of their contracts in July this year.

David Luiz is another centre-back whose contract expires in the summer of 2021 but he has been fancied to sign a one-year extension, having impressed Arteta.

Elsewhere, the Gunners have a decision to make over the future of Pablo Mari. The Spaniard has been solid in his two appearances following his loan move from Flamengo. The club have the option to buy him for around £8m.