Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama wants a summer move to Arsenal, according to the player's mentor.
Belgian coach Jean-Marie Abeels trained Wanyama when he was a kid at the JMJ Academy in Nairobi and believes his protégé is ready to take the next step and join Arsenal.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a move for the 21-year-old, with the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Southampton also reportedly keeping tabs on the Kenyan international.
"Victor's father Noah calls me almost every week and he tells me Arsenal's interest is big," Abeels told the Daily Mail.
"Wenger spoke to Celtic around a month ago and Victor's father and his mother Mildred says he would prefer to go there before any other club.
"I will be speaking to his parents again in a week's time and Victor also. But I already know that Arsenal have a big interest in the player.
"Everything can change in a minute. It takes just one phone call. It's all a bit of a show at the moment. It's all a game. It's all about money. But Victor wants to go to a club where he will play.
"He is still young and I have told him he needs to be careful about when he takes the really big step.
'I think myself that it's better that he has a step in between before going to the really big level."
Abeels said Wanyama wants to take the step up of playing in the English Premier League.
"Celtic play nice football," he said. "But every competition is different and the English Premier League is the really big one. It's just a question of what level Victor goes to.
"Van Persie went to Arsenal then moved on later to Manchester United. Victor can do the same if he goes to Arsenal. And I believe that is what he wants. He wants to go to Arsenal."
The final quote is a slight insult to Arsenal, with the club, a few years ago, very much on par with Manchester United.
If indeed Wanyama plans to move to Arsenal as a step up to a "bigger" club, then no doubt the majority of the Arsenal fans out there and indeed Arsene Wenger himself will say "no thanks."
However, if Wanyama is looking to be a part of what looks like a possible summer spending spree to bring Arsenal back amongst the elite in terms of competing for trophies, then the midfielder will clearly be seen as a sound investment.
Arsenal have also been linked with Maxime Gonalons of Lyon, while Etienne Capoue remains a target.
The Bender brothers - Sven and Lars -- are also in the mix but will prove considerably more difficult to prise away from Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.
