Atletico Madrid have offered midfielder Thomas Partey a double-your-money salary offer in a bid to convince the Ghanaian to reject Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta is keen on signing the midfielder and the Gunners are believed to have made contact with Partey's agent in the last two months.
Partey has been a revelation since joining Atletico but his contract includes a relatively affordable £43.5m release clause and Arsenal are willing to trigger the clause.
Atletico are desperate to keep Partey and believe he is worth significantly more than his release clause.
According to the Guardian, Atletico have offered to double Partey's salary of £65,000-a-week to make him one of the highest earners at the club on £130,000-a-week.
The new deal would remove Partey's current release clause and replace it with a new clause worth around £100m.
That would price Arsenal out of a move but it remains to be seen whether Partey will agree to the extension.
Partey has three years to run on his existing deal.
Arteta is unsure over his summer budget due to the coronavirus pandemic and the uncertainty over Arsenal's chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
The Gunners are desperate to hold on to captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and are hopeful that he can be convinced to stay at the club.
However, with 15 months left on his current deal, the Gunners will cash in on Aubameyang this summer should he make it clear he will not sign a new deal.
Barcelona are interested in the Gabon international but want to sign him for lower than Arsenal's £50m valuation.
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