Report: Arsenal target Spain U21 midfielder Asier Illarramendi

Arsenal want to use £10m of their huge summer transfer budget on Spanish Under-21 defensive midfielder Asier Illarramendi, according to reports.

Gunners chief executive Ivan Gazidis has claimed that manager Arsene Wenger has £70m to spend on new recruits in order to turn the Emirates Stadium outfit back into genuine Premier League title challenges.

Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain is an apparent £22m target and the Daily Mail understands that Wenger is keen on another La Liga talent in the form of Real Sociedad's Illarramendi.

The 23-year-old had a superb season, impressing sufficiently in his 32 domestic appearances to supposedly attract interest from Madrid.

Illarramendi is currently playing for Spain in the European Under-21 Championships.