Napoli and Roma are reportedly willing to pay €10m for Toulouse goalkeeper Alban Lafont, who Arsenal have also been linked with.

According to Football-Italia, who cite L’Equipe, Napoli and Roma are willing to pay €10m plus bonuses for Lafont, which is around £8.9m. It’s not a huge amount, even considering he’s only 19 years old. Although whether Toulouse would accept that is another issue entirely.

Arsenal, as well as Newcastle United, Watford and Real Madrid are all being linked with the goalkeeper, who Transfermarkt value at €18m – almost £16m.

£16m is a much-more respectable amount, but still one that most clubs would be willing to pay if they need a shot-stopper for the future… which Arsenal definitely do.

alban lafont
Toulouse’s French goalkeeper Alban Lafont warms up prior to the French L1 football match Olympique de Marseille vs Toulouse FC on August 14, 2016 at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France. (BERTRAND LANGLOIS/AFP/Getty Images)

And this is where Arsenal may have an advantage.

Lafont, who’s kept 12 clean sheets in 33 appearances for Toulouse this season, recently spoke about watching Arsenal as a kid and it seems like he could be open to a move in the future.

“I’ve liked them since I was young – I’d watch the matches of Robin van Persie,” said Lafont.

“I don’t know, we’ll see how it goes. For the immediate future, I would like to save my club [from relegation] and after that, we’ll see later.

“If I’m good I deserve to move up to the next level, but I am not busy with that right now.”

With two-and-a-half years left on his deal in France, it doesn’t appear that Lafont is pressing for a move but you never know.

Arsenal desperately need a goalkeeper. Despite keeping his 200th clean sheet against Watford at the weekend, Petr Cech isn’t good enough to be #1 anymore and David Ospina… well he’s David Ospina.

If the club have no intention of promoting Matt Macey or Emi Martinez any time soon, they need to bring someone in.