Arsenal have been linked with a move for Espanyol defender Mario Hermoso, but they face stiff competition for the 23-year-old, say reports in Spain. Hermoso has consolidated his place in the Espanyol backline in his second season with the club, making 32 La Liga appearances and playing a further three times in their run to the quarter-finals of the Copa Del Rey.
And as a result, Sport claim that several clubs across Europe are interested in signing him. According to the report, Arsenal have joined PSG and Bayern Munich in the race for the Spaniard, as Unai Emery looks to improve his defence.
Shkodran Mustafi and Calum Chambers could both be on their way out of the Emirates this summer, and Emery is keen to upgrade on them.
Even if Madrid exercise that clause, it does not necessarily signal the end of the story. Given how Hermoso’s market value has risen in a small space of time, they could look to sell him on for a quick profit – with Sport pointing to the potential deal that could see striker Luka Jovic move to Real in the same summer that Eintracht Frankfurt have bought out his loan from Benfica.
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Hermoso, who made his international debut for Spain in their last fixture of 2018 against Bosnia-Herzegovina, is under contract until 2020, so Espanyol will have a job on their hands to keep him.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have also been linked with Gremio’s Walter Kannemann in their quest to find new centre-backs.