Arsenal set to sign Yannick Carrasco as player breaks silence

Arsenal are confident of signing Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco from Dalian Yifang.

The Belgian is keen to return to Europe this summer and has a quite number of admirers.

Unai Emery has identified wide areas as key to positions to strengthen as he looks to perform surgery on his squad following a disappointed top four campaign and Europa League defeat to Chelsea. 

But the Gunners would have to compete with Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga giants also targeting Carrasco as an option after being told by Manchester City they may have to pay up to £90million for Leroy Sane.

Another problem for Arsenal is Dalian are keen to sell Carrasco outright for around £26million while the Gunners would prefer a season-long loan with an option to buy.

However, Carrasco has confirmed that he wants to leave the Chinese Super League and that he has put that to his current club.

“The whole world knows that I want to return to Europe,” he said. "Now, it depends on the president and I hope he finds a solution.”

Asked about Arsenal he replied: "I can't speak about the club.”

"Now I am not the one who chooses, but my president. He decides if he lets me go or not, but I hope I can come back."

In February last year, Carrasco made the surprise move to China along with his Atletico Madrid teammate Nicolas Gaitan, with the transfers coming about partly because Dalian are owned by the Wanda group, who also part-own Atletico.

In 2015, the 25-year-old moved to the Spanish capital from Monaco, and scored Atletico's equalising goal in the 2016 Champions League final against city rivals Real Madrid in Milan, which Atletico went on to lose on penalties.