Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has targeted St Etienne midfielder
Loic Perrin to strengthen his squad as doubts continue to surround
the future of Mathieu Flamini at the Emirates.
Flamini, who is yet to sign a new four-year, £50,000-per-week
deal offered to him by the club, has been linked with a move to
Serie A side Juventus, and there are fears in north London that the
Frenchman has already agreed in principle to move to Turin.
The loss of Flamini would leave a big hole in the
Arsenal midfield as the France international has had an impressive
season as the holding midfielder alongside Cesc Fabregas.
The club are reluctant to break their strict salary
policy in order to keep Flamini, and chairman Peter Hill-Wood said:
"We have made him a proposal.
"We have heard from his representatives but they have
not given us a response."
Should Flamini ultimately leave then Wenger would have
a ready-made replacement in Perrin.
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The 22-year-old impressed after being watched by
Arsenal's European scout Gilles Grimandi, and is reportedly keen on
a move to the Premier League.
Perrin is contracted to St Etienne until 2010, and is
valued at £5 million, but the price tag will not prove an obstacle
to Wenger, who has been promised substantial funds to spend this
summer.