Arsenal are reportedly lining up an approach for Legia Warsaw prodigy Krystian Bielik.
The 16-year-old, who plays as a defensive midfielder, broke into the Polish outfit's first team this season and has made four senior appearances so far, impressing the scouts of several European clubs including the Gunners.
Arsenal have now opened talks with Legia regarding a move for Bielik, according to Polish news outlet TVP Sport, and are also ready to pay €2m to secure the services of the youngster.
The report claims the midfielder is rated highly by pundits in Poland and has drawn comparisons with Gunners legend Patrick Vieira.
Bielik will not be the first Legia player to join Arsenal in the recent past, if the move goes through. Wojciech Szczesny had joined the Gunners academy from the Polish club back in 2006, while fellow Poland international Lukasz Fabianski also traded Warsaw for north London a year later.
With Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini in their 30s, Arsene Wenger has been in the market for a defensive midfielder. And though Bielik is unlikely make it to the Arsenal first team for the next couple of years, he is seen as a youngster with huge potential.
Meanwhile, Wenger insists he is unaffected by the discontent from the Arsenal fanbase, insisting it is part of the job.
Following Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Stoke City, where the Gunners fell 3-0 behind by half time, the French tactician came under fierce criticism from a group of fans as he boarded a train back to London.
"We have to cope with that [criticism], we are professional footballers. I am a competitive person. What is important is the next game and responding in a strong way, to play to win the game," Sky Sports quoted Wenger as saying.
"It is part of our job here, you cannot always look for excuses. We are down. Everyone feels it. When you have a disappointment you respond in a strong way, that is what competition is about."
Arsenal visit Turkey on Tuesday to face Galatasaray in their final Champions League group-stage fixture of the season.
