Young Arsenal defender Omar Rekik is closing in on a loan move to Birmingham City, according to a report.

Mahmoud Missaoui reports for AfricaFoot that Tunisia international and Arsenal defender Omar Rekik is looking for a summer loan, and Birmingham City are currently the closest club to securing a move.

Arsenal and Rekik believe a loan in the Championship will be the most beneficial option for the player and Birmingham are leading the race at the moment. One source claimed an agreement isn’t far off.

Sevilla also reportedly showed an interest, and Valencia made an initial enquiry, but those options evidently aren’t being prioritised at the moment.

Rekik has a deal with Arsenal until 2025, so another season on loan would still leave him under contract upon his return.

Rekik started out the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Sparta Rotterdam, but after struggling for consistent minutes with the Dutch side, he was recalled and loaned to Wigan Athletic in January.

In many ways, that spell was a lot more successful. Rekik played 11 times, making 10 starts, and from March until the end of the season he never had more than one consecutive game out of the team.

On the other hand, Wigan were relegated, so it wasn’t all good news.

Though that wasn’t Rekik’s fault, it would perhaps be better preparation for top-level football if he could play with a side further up the table this season.

Arsenal’s last loan to Birmingham City went excellently, with Auston Trusty certainly raising his stock with a year at the club.

Trusty is currently back at Arsenal, so Rekik could go and fill the gap he’s left behind in Birmingham.