KEY POINTS

  • The Schalke midfielder is out-of-contract in the summer and could leave on a free.
  • The Bundesliga club are running out of time if they want to recoup a fee for the Germany international.

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may not be the only new face to arrive at Arsenal on the final day of the January transfer window with the club purported to be interested in signing Schalke's Max Meyer.

Bild, via The Sun, understand the Gunners are keen on the 22-year-old, who is out-of-contract in the summer. Schalke are running out of time if they want to recoup a fee for the Germany international and could cave to a late offer.

Meyer is reportedly no closer to agreeing a contract extension to stay at the Veltins-Arena meaning Arsenal could be free to snap up the player for a cut-price fee.

Though Meyer will be available for nothing at the end of the season, a £17.5m fee was rumoured to be enough to prise him away from the Bundesliga.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are both among the clubs who have previously been linked with a move for the ex-MSV Duisburg youngster, while Barcelona have also shown an interest.

But despite being chased by a series of clubs, Meyer has mustered just one goal and one assist in 21 appearances in all competitions for a Schalke side who are third in the table, 16 points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.

Having bolstered their forward line with the addition of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aubameyang, Meyer's versatility can allow him to fill a number of positions including across the centre of midfield and provide some much-needed defensive stability.

The north Londoners' shortcomings were exposed once again on Tuesday [30 January] when they were beaten 3-1 by relegation-threatened Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.

The move is not understood to hinge of Schalke signing a replacement with the January window in Germany closing at 5pm GMT, six hours ahead of the Premier League window shutting at 11pm GMT.

Arsenal have already made one signing on the final day of trading in the January window in the form of Aubameyang; a deal which is expected to trigger Olivier Giroud's exit to Premier League champions Chelsea.

Max Meyer
Meyer's days at Schalke appear to be coming to an end. Getty Images