Arsenal are reportedly interested in Sergi Roberto, who is set to leave Barcelona on a free transfer this summer.

GRANADA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 03: Sergi Roberto of FC Barcelona reacts during the Copa del Rey match between Granada and Barcelona at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on February 03, 2021 in Granada, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
GRANADA, SPAIN: Sergi Roberto of FC Barcelona reacts during the Copa del Rey match between Granada and Barcelona at Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes on February 03, 2021. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness) report that barring any radical changes, Sergi Roberto is set to leave Barcelona at the end of his contract with the club this summer.

That news may be of interest to Arsenal, with reports around the January transfer window suggesting that the Gunners had added the midfielder to their 2022 shopping list.

As Roberto will be a free agent in a few months, he’s already free to talk to Arsenal over a pre-contract agreement, should he wish to do so.

On the one hand, Roberto is now 30 years old, which would seemingly make him a bad fit for the current Arsenal project.

But perhaps one or two older signings could help to provide some balance, particularly if they’re available for free.

toral granada
Jon Toral (L) tussling for possession with Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto during their La Liga encounter. (Picture source: Getty Images)

The bigger problem at the moment is the midfielder’s fitness record. Roberto hasn’t played a game since October due to a couple of injury setbacks.

Last season, Transfermarkt suggest Roberto missed 37 games through injury. The season before, he missed another 10.

If Roberto doesn’t get fit soon and stay fit until the end of the season, he may just be too much of a risk – even on a free transfer.

Arsenal have done so much work to get rid of players picking up wages but not playing matches. They won’t want to go back to adding to the list again.