Arsenal are still interested in Real Betis defender, Aissa Mandi, according to a report in El Desmarque.

Back in January, it was reported that Arsenal were ‘probing’ the player’s €30m release clause.

Ahead of Arsenal’s game against Manchester United in the FA Cup, Unai Emery admitted the club wanted to sign a centreback during the January window.  “It’s difficult, you know, but I am working with our players and I think we need – and we can – sign some players to help after our injuries like Rob Holding, like Welbeck, like Hector Bellerin,” Emery said

“The idea is firstly to find the quality and this quality can help us. We need, if he can come here, a winger for the right or left or some players also at centreback. But now, Dinos Mavropanos is coming back after his injuries and I think I can use him in the next matches.”

A centreback you say? Like Aissa Mandi whom El Desmarque claimed Arsenal are interested in last month too?

The story, and it’s source, are quite vague as Sport Witness highlighted when this rumour first broke out, but none of it matters anyway if Betis want actual cash for him. We can pay them in, well I’m not actually sure what we could pay them in. Thoughts and prayers, perhaps?

€30m is the amount in Mandi’s release clause and the Spanish publication do say that Emery wants him for next season, hinting at a summer move when Arsenal will have hoked all the loose change out of the sofas at London Colney.

Real Betis, for their part, are reportedly trying to renew the 27-year-old’s current deal, which expires in 2021. They also want to increase his release clause.

West Ham had a €14m offer turned down last summer.