Arsenal’s interest in Kostas Manolas is genuine and concrete, according to reports in Italy, with AS Roma feeling the defender is surplus to requirements.

Pietro Balzano Prota, journalist at Sport Mediaset and director at Radio Rossonera, reports that Arsenal’s interest in Manolas is ‘concrete’, and he’s considered ‘expendable’ in Italy.

This comes following reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport that Arsenal are ‘really interested’ in signing the defender this summer, and they’ve made contact with the player’s agent.

A deal wouldn’t be cheap, with the suggestion that Arsenal would have to pay Manolas’ €36m release clause in full to reach an agreement. There’s not much way around that, as the Greek international still has another three years on his contract to run down.

As mentioned in previous articles on the player, there are some doubts about whether Manolas would really be worth €36m, given his performances in the last couple of seasons.

The 27-year-old still has at least half a decade ahead of him, and at his best, he would command this kind of transfer fee easily. Whether Unai Emery can get that out of him is another matter.