Inter Milan Join Arsenal in Hunt for Saints' Midfield Star - Report

Inter Milan have joined Arsenal in the race to sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, according to the Express. The report claims Arsene Wenger is considering a £10m bid for the 23-year-old defensive player, who will likely replace Cameroon's Alex Song in a holding role.

Wenger lost Song to Barcelona last summer and has failed to find an adequate replacement, with Abou Diaby almost perennially injured and youngster Francis Coquelin unable to make the position his own. In any case, talkSPORT has linked the 22-year-old with a move to Bundesliga club Schalke 04, making it imperative the Gunners invest in that area of the park.

Schneiderlin has had an excellent season with the Saints, making 35 starts in the Premier League and scoring five times. His no-nonsense and tough-tackling approach in the centre of midfield could be exactly what Arsenal need, as they attempt to add some steel to their style.

Should an approach for the young Frenchman fail, the Gunners have also been linked to Olympique Lyon's Maxime Gonalons and Celtic's Victor Wanyama. With a reported £70m to spend in the summer, Wenger should have no excuses for not making significant additions to his squad.

Olivier Giroud on Newcastle United Game

Meanwhile, Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud believes his side will beat Newcastle United on Sunday. The north London side travel to St James' Park for the final game of the season, needing at least a draw to ensure qualification for the Champions League next season. Giroud returns from a suspension after a red card in an earlier game.

"We are confident. We won the last game 4-1 after the comeback of Wigan at 1-1. We were under pressure with the score. We needed the win. I think the team had a good reaction and we succeeded to score the second goal with Theo. It was a relief for us," the French international explained.

"It will maybe be a little bit different because Newcastle will play in the Premier League next season. I think it's a good thing for us. We have to do the job and keep focused. Never mind if they are a little bit relieved, they will maybe play without pressure. I'm not sure but I think it's better for us," he told www.arsenal.com.