Arsenal's £35m bid for Jean Michael Seri depends on Nice's Champions League qualification

Arsenal are plotting a move for Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri as Arsene Wenger looks to bolster his midfield for the upcoming campaign.

The Ivory Coast midfielder has been on the Gunners' radar since the start of the summer, but the club are yet to make a concrete offer for his services as the manager focused on other targets. Arsenal have signed Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette thus far and are said to be in negotiations with AS Monaco for Thomas Lemar.

Seri has been impressive since joining the Ligue 1 side from Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira in 2015 and he played a key role in helping Nice finish third in the league last season. He made 39 appearances across all competitions last season in a deep lying midfielder's role but still contributed with seven goals and nine assists.

The 26-year-old midfielder has a €40m (£35.7m) release clause and the club are unwilling to lower their demands. Arsenal are not the only club interested with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City also monitoring his situation.

According to French publication L'Equipe, the Gunners are willing to meet the player's release clause and bring him to the Emirates but are yet to make a firm offer owing to their focus on other targets with Thomas Lemar being a priority.

Arsenal have spent around £50m thus far and Wenger confirmed recently that they were still active in the market. Wenger's team is well stocked in midfield with Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Francis Coquelin, Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny vying for two places, but Wenger is looking for a long-term replacement for Santi Cazorla, who is currently injured and could move for Seri to fill the void.

However, according to ESPN, any move for the Nice midfielder will hinge on his current employers' progress in the Champions League. The Ligue 1 outfit moved into the play-offs following their aggregate win over Ajax on Wednesday (2 August) and Seri did no damage to his reputation after claiming two assists in as many games. A win in the next round will ensure a place in the group stages, which could make it harder for Arsenal to convince Nice to part with their midfielder.