Bundesliga Midfielder Keen on Joining Arsenal

Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby says he would like to join Arsenal in the future.

The 21-year-old is hot property in German football, and his dual nationality between Germany and England, with his father having been born in Liverpool, has led to links with a move to the Premier League.

Arsenal have built a reputation of playing attractive football, with Arsene Wenger having impressed his style of play on the team since his arrival in 1996, and Holtby can't help but be attracted to the Emirates Stadium.

"I have always said that my aim is to come to the Premier League one day because I love the league," Holtby told talkSPORT.

"My father is English and of course my favourite teams are Everton and Arsenal.

"It would be a massive move [to Arsenal] because Arsenal players were always my favourite. They play nice one-touch football, they're offensive, and have young players, a great stadium and a great city so it is a nice club.

"My thoughts now are first with Schalke but you never know."

The Gunners have regularly tended to bring in younger players to help bulk out their first-team squad instead of signing established players, with Carl Jenkinson signing from Charlton Athletic last summer, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton.

However, Wenger appears ready to change tact after last summer's scattergun approach in the transfer window, which saw five players signed in the final two days of the window to replace the departed Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

The strategy saw Arsenal start the season in poor fashion, with a thrashing at the hands of Manchester United contributing to a wretched beginning to the campaign, which eventually saw the north Londoners finish third in the Premier League, and qualify for the Champions League.

Arsenal's policy in the transfer window has often contributed to the gap between themselves and those contesting for the title increasing, while their trophy drought will slip into an eighth year come next season.

The signing of Lukas Podolski signals an end to their long-term strategy, however Holtby could be seen as a viable option should negotiations between the two clubs begin.