Arsenal Make Approach to Sign Experienced Inter Winger on Loan With View to £35m Swoop

​Arsenal have made an approach to sign Inter star Ivan Perisic on loan in January as the Gunners step up their search for reinforcements to aid Unai Emery’s injury-hit side.

The Gunners lost defenders Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Laurent Koscielny to injury during their 1-3 defeat at home to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Friday, but the signing of a winger has apparently dominated Arsenal’s transfer endeavours this month.

BBC Sport reporter ​David Ornstein has suggested that ​Arsenal have now turned their attentions to Inter forward ​Ivan Perisic. The Gunners are apparently keen to secure the 29-year-old on loan this month, with a £35m option to buy the Croatian in the summer.

It is suggested that the wide man is open to a departure from the San Siro this month. Arsenal have seemingly fallen short in their widely reported move to sign Denis Suarez from ​Barcelona in a similarly structured move, although that situation could yet change ahead of next week's transfer deadline.

Arsenal are apparently on the lookout for a player capable of playing on both wings and, whilst it is suggested that a deal for Suarez is still possible as the Gunners look for someone to play in the centre, a potential deal for Perisic is now also on the agenda.

Perisic has scored three times and laid on two assists in 18 Serie A appearances this season, continuing to star as a central figure for ​Inter under Luciano Spalletti, though Ornstein’s suggestion that the Croatian could be keen to move on suggests that a deal is possible.

It is also suggested that PSG midfielder Christopher Nkunku remains on the agenda as a in another potential loan deal for Arsenal this month.

Arsenal’s recent accumulation of further defensive injuries has seemingly prompted a greater need for reinforcements at the back in January, though it is suggested that Sokratis’ injury on Friday was not serious, and it remains unclear how it will affect transfer business.