Anderlecht defender Cheokhou Kouyate wants a move to Arsenal in the summer, with the Senegalese international determined to leave the Belgian club at the end of the season.
Arsenal are reportedly in the market for a central defender, with the likes Johan Djourou and Sebastien Squillaci expected to leave in the summer. The future of Thomas Vermaelen is also very much up in the air after the Belgian's woeful form led to his demotion to the bench this season.
Kouyate has been a name which has been linked with Arsenal for quite a while now, with the centre-half's performances in the Champions League this season, particularly coming for much praise.
The 23-year-old is a powerful defender, with pace and good technical ability and would fit right in with the Arsenal backline, and the fact that he wants to make a move to the Emirates might make it easier for Arsene Wenger, if the manager chooses to sign him.
"I like Arsenal because they play good football," he said. "There have been enquiries before, but nothing happened.
"I do not want to say where I am going, but this will be my last season with Anderlecht.
"Until I leave, I will continue to give 100 percent."
Meanwhile, Arsenal are on alert after Wilfried Bony said he wants to leave his current club Vitesse Arnhem in the summer.
Bony has been in tremendous form this season, scoring 27 goals in 25 appearances, which has led to the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal showing an interest.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international said he is ready to step into the shoes of Didier Drogba by making a move to a big club.
"Next summer I am gone," he told Voetbal International.
"The wonderful career of Didier Drogba is come to an end and there are plenty of potential successors (with the Ivory Coast).
"This is my moment. But it is difficult if you play for a club like Vitesse."
Bony also expressed his frustration at the way matters have been handled by Vitesse, when it has come to his transfer.
"There have been many promises, and not just to me," he added.
"For me, it was also about money, but that was not the most important thing, it was about respect. And I don't think Vitesse showed it.
"For example, my agent has repeatedly contacted the club, but no one answered. They did not call him back.
"I have not been taken seriously."
Chelsea are reportedly leading the chase for Bony, who is under contract with Vitesse until 2015, but with similar players in the mould of Romelu Lukaku and Demba Ba already in their books, it might be Arsenal or Liverpool who have a better chance of landing the powerful striker.
