Arsenal are reportedly among a number of clubs who are closely monitoring Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda.
The Gunners were keen to recruit the 18-year-old during the January transfer window, and Mikel Arteta is said to have spoken directly with the defender, but a move to the Emirates Stadium ultimately failed to materialise.
Fresneda made his senior debut for Valladolid in September of last year and has since enjoyed his breakthrough season as a first-team regular, making 20 appearances across all competitions.
The Spain Under-19 international is under contract with the La Liga outfit until June 2025, but interest in his services is said to be rife ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to 90min, Arsenal still hold an interest in Fresneda and were one of several clubs along with Aston Villa and Newcastle United who sent scouts to watch the youngster play for Valladolid in last Thursday's 2-1 defeat against Valencia.
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Real Madrid are also said to be keepings tabs on Madrid-born Fresneda, who spent time in the Los Blancos academy earlier in his career, while Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund were both linked with the defender in January.
A separate report from Tuttomercatoweb, meanwhile, claims that Serie A duo Juventus and AC Milan are also prepared to enter the race for his signature.
Fresneda has recently spoken about the reported interest from Arsenal in his services and the youngster has admitted that he is a fan of Spanish compatriot Arteta.
"I like Arteta a lot because I think he's a great coach; I follow the European leagues and I think the work he's doing with his club is fantastic," Fresneda told The Athletic. "But now with [Paulo] Pezzolano and before with Pacheta, [Valladolid] do that style of play, and that style is the one I like the most."
On his future with Valladolid, Fresneda added: "I'm very young, I have to go step by step, not go backwards. Being the age I am, you have to keep improving and I'm doing that at Valladolid. Everyone would like to go to the best teams in the world and that is one of my ambitions, of course.
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"The fans have been very supportive from the moment I made my debut and they've been asking me to stay.
"My agent keeps me very much on the sidelines. I don't really like to look at what a journalist might have written, but I've lived everything with a lot of emotion.
"I'm very grateful to the club, to the previous manager, and I'm trying to handle it as naturally as possible."
Valladolid's club-record sale currently stands at the €12m (£10.5m) recouped from the transfer of Mohammed Salisu to Southampton in the summer of 2020, but that would be eclipsed should any interested clubs decide to activate the €30m (£27m) release clause in Fresneda's contract.
Oliver Thomas
