Arsenal were in serious talks to land midfield powerhouse from Bayern

Arsenal aren’t doing their business by halves this summer. With Kepa, Nørgaard, and Zubimendi already locked and loaded — and Madueke, Mosquera, and Gyökeres still in the chamber — the Gunners look almost ready to fire on all fronts this season.

According to reports in Bild reported in Metro yesterday, Arsenal held 'serious negotiations' to sign Bayern Munich's Portuguese powerhouse, Joao Palhinha before the German Club departed for the World Club Cup in the US.

Currently no agreement has been reached with club or player

Currently, no agreement has been reached with either the club or the player. And, despite fierce competition for places in Bayern's engine room, Palhinha has made it clear that he is willing to fight for his place in Vincent Kompany's side. Furthermore, he still has three years left on his contract at Bayern.

Palhinha made the £47.4m switch from Fulham to Bayern just a year ago, but his debut season in Germany was blighted by injuries and never really got going. Unless an offer comes in from a top club, he is unlikely to give up on his 'big dream' of making his time at Bayern a success.

Arsenal’s approach is a clear statement of their ambition

Arsenal’s approach to sign Palhinha is a clear statement of ambition this summer. Bringing in another midfielder—capable of playing in a double pivot or as a traditional box-to-box option—would give the Gunners the flexibility to rotate and compete across all competitions next season.

Although 'concrete figures' have allegedly been discussed, there is no clarity at this stage about whether Andrea Berta will pursue Palhinha any further. There are many alternatives for Arsenal to explore.

Arsenal fans should remain upbeat though, as it seems that Arsenal's summer spending is far from being over.