Arsenal & Liverpool preparing bids for £16m rated Asier Illarramendi

Following the recent signing of Mateo Kovacic from Inter Milan, Real Madrid are looking to offload central midfielder Asier Illarramendi.

Signed from Real Sociedad for a whopping €32m in 2013, Illarramendi has made only 25 league starts for ‘Los Blancos’ during a frustrating spell.

David Moyes’ Real Sociedad are favourites to re-sign him this summer but there is also interest from Athletic Bilbao as well as Premier League clubs Liverpool and Arsenal, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Arsenal are reportedly still in the market for a defensive midfielder whilst Liverpool are still trying to fill the massive whole left by Steven Gerrard.

Having come through the Real Sociedad youth academy, the 25-year-old midfielder has failed to make his grade at the Bernabeu and looks destined to leave in the next 12 days.

He would provide stuff competition for Arsenal’s current defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin.