Arsenal eyeing summer move to sign Croatian defender valued at £18 million: Reports

Arsenal are reportedly among a number of clubs eyeing a move for Dinamo Zagreb centre-back Josip Sutalo.

According to the Evening Standard, via Daily Cannon, Sutalo could be available for £18 million this summer. The 23-year-old has scored thrice in 32 games across competitions this season and is part of a team leading the league table by 12 points after 32 games.

Manchester United, Fiorentina, Leipzig, Fulham and VfL Wolfsburg are also linked with Sutalo. Arsenal, however, are said to have been scouting him for around six months. He has been with Dinamo Zagreb since joining their youth academy in the summer of 2014.

Sutalo has already earned six caps for the national team and is destined to amass more, especially after Dejan Lovren's retirement in February. Domagoj Vida (34) is also gradually being sidelined from the international set-up.

Hence, waiting around to sign Sutalo could backfire on his potential suitors as his stocks could increase in the future. It remains to be seen if he will find a place in Mikel Arteta's first-team plans if he is to move to the Emirates.

The Spanish tactician has William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Rob Holding and Gabriel Magalhaes as his natural centre-back options. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who have both been majorly used as right-backs, can also play in central defense.

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Mikel Arteta happy with Arsenal's 'deserved' win against Chelsea

Arsenal came into the Premier League game against Chelsea on May 2 on the back of four league games without a win.

This included draws against Liverpool, West Ham United and Southampton, as well as a loss at the hands of Manchester City. However, they had no problem sweeping aside Frank Lampard's Chelsea team.

The Blues were thoroughly outplayed and fell three goals behind by the 34th minute. Noni Madueke scored in the 65th minute to seal the 3-1 scoreline. Arsenal kept 55% of the ball and managed 10 shots as compared to the visitors' four.

After the win at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta told the club's official website, via The Print:

"We wanted to have a very different approach to the game, and we did it right from the beginning. The team is back to its best. There was a lot of energy, determination, quality, and movement, and we were really going for it. We connected with our crowd straight away, we scored two magnificent goals, got control of the game and fully deserved to win."

The win took Arsenal to the top of the table temporarily. Manchester City's 3-0 win against West Ham United the following day took the Cityzens above the Gunners. City have 79 points from 33 games - one more than Arsenal, who have played one more match.