Arsenal Plan £10m Bid for Southampton Midfielder - Report

Arsenal are preparing a £10m bid on sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin at the end of the season, according to the Sun. The 23-year-old has been an integral part of the Southampton setup this season, making 35 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals in the process.

The report claims that Arsene Wenger has been monitoring the player since his arrival at Southampton a few years back. The Gunners have already done business with the Saints a couple of times in the past, with Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being the two players who made their trip to the Emirates from St. Mary's.

The Frenchman is in the market for a midfielder to eventually replace Alex Song who left for Barcelona last summer. Abou Diaby was earmarked as the man to take over Song's role, but the midfielder is currently out for the year with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, leaving Wenger with no option but to scour the market for a potential replacement in the summer.

The Gunners are reported to have opened talks with Lyon midfielder Maxime Gonalons and Wenger recently hinted that Arsenal are also keeping tabs on 20-year-old Sevilla starlet Geoffrey Kondogbia. Meanwhile, Arsenal are currently trying their best to qualify for the Champions League next season, now in fourth spot, a point behind Chelsea and two points ahead of Tottenham, having played a game more.

Ramsey on Top Four Race

Meanhwile, Aaron Ramsey believes that the Gunners have their Champions League qualification hopes in their own hands at the moment. Arsenal were handed a huge setback in their race after their 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the weekend, but the Welshman believes that either Chelsea or Tottenham will drop points which will benefit the Gunners.

"We're on a good run at the moment. Chelsea and Tottenham have to play each other so somebody has to drop points there. We're concentrating on our own game at the moment. We believe we can win the remaining three fixtures that we have left and get nine points out of them. I'm sure if we do that, we'll be in the Champions League next year," Ramsey told the club's official website.

"I've been playing well lately. I've been feeling confident. I'm happy with the way I'm playing at the moment and the team's doing well as well. That's a positive. We've carried on our unbeaten run now so hopefully we can continue that, get back to winning ways on the weekend and get in the Champions League at the end of the season," he added.