Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly interested in Lazio forward Joaquin Correa, while the Roman club want to sign Gunners midfielder Lucas Torreira.
Both players are currently occupied with their national teams at the Copa America, Correa with Argentina and Torreira with Uruguay.
According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal and Spurs are keen on Correa but don’t want to meet Lazio’s €40 million (£34m) demands.
The Serie A side are willing to sell the speedy striker for the right price after missing out on Champions League qualification in 2020/21, as they look to raise cash to invest in their squad following Maurizio Sarri’s appointment as head coach.
One advantage the Gunners could have is that Lazio are interested in Torreira, who spent last season on loan at Atletico Madrid.
The Uruguayan playmaker is valued at around €20m (£17m), but the report suggests the Italians would prefer a loan deal to a player exchange.
Lazio have a lot of work to do in the transfer market this summer, as Sarri’s arrival will lead to a change in formation from the 3-5-2 used for years by Simone Inzaghi, who succeeded Antonio Conte at Inter Milan last month.
The Roman club need wingers and full-backs to be added to the squad for next season, but Torreira could be a useful bargaining chip for Arsenal, as the Uruguayan is a potential long-term successor to Lucas Leiva in midfield for the Italian side.
One piece of bad news for the two north London rivals is that Lazio president Claudio Lotito a notoriously tough negotiator and is unlikely to budge too much on the price that he sets for Correa.
The 26-year-old has been in Rome for three seasons, winning the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup as well as helping Lazio reach the Champions League last 16 last term.
He’s seen as the most dispensable of the club’s big-name players, largely due to his inconsistency.
Correa possesses great talent and offers dazzling dribbling skills and ferocious pace, but his finishing has often let him down while playing alongside the prolific Ciro Immobile in a dynamic front two.
A return of 30 goals in 117 appearances for Lazio highlights that the Argentinian isn’t a particularly reliable goal-getter, although last season’s tally of 11 strikes in 38 appearances in all competitions was his best yet in Italy.
Subscribe to FourFourTwo today and get a free England Euro 96 shirt!
EURO 2020
FOR YOUR HOME Euro 2020 wall chart: Download free with full schedule, fixtures and dates
REFS Euro 2020 referees revealed: who are they, how were they selected and will VAR be in use?
