Napoli have reportedly taken the lead in the chase for Pablo Fornals with Arsenal still hopeful of doing a deal.

VALENCIA, SPAIN - DECEMBER 04: Pablo Fornals of Malaga CF celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the La Liga match between Valencia CF and Malaga CF at Mestalla stadium on December 4, 2016 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN – DECEMBER 04: Pablo Fornals of Malaga CF celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the La Liga match between Valencia CF and Malaga CF at Mestalla stadium on December 4, 2016 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

According to a report on the Italian site, Calciomercato who are covering a report from Radio Marte, Napoli are ‘ahead’ of Arsenal with no other sides currently being mentioned.

Fornals has been linked with Arsenal for some time now and it is believed that Premier League money could be the deciding factor.

The 23-year-old is under contract until 2022 and is one of a number of players being touted as an Aaron Ramsey replacement, something we looked at more in-depth here.

Fornals has four goals and five assists in 38 games this season across all competitions with three of those goals coming in the Europa League. He moved to Villarreal in 2017 when he paid his own £10m release clause at Malaga.

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He currently wears number 8, a shirt number that will become available at Arsenal in the summer.

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