Arsenal eye Hoffenheim midfielder Kerem Demirbay… but Liverpool are also keen

Arsenal have added Germany midfielder Kerem Demirbay to the list of players they may seek to sign this summer.

Demirbay, who plays for Bundesliga club Hoffenheim, is well-known by Gunners head of recruitment Sven Mislintat, who moved to north London from Borussia Dortmund. The 24-year-old has also attracted attention from Liverpool.

Demirbay is one of Hoffenheim’s brightest talents but could be available for about £20million in the summer. He made his senior international debut for Germany at last summer’s Confederations Cup.

Those who have watched Demirbay closely believe he is at his best as a deep-lying midfielder, and he had an outstanding 2016-17 campaign.

Injuries have affected him this season, however, and he has been unable to have a similar impact – as a result, Hoffenheim are seventh in the Bundesliga, struggling to match last season’s haul, when they finished fourth with 62 points.

Demirbay was banned for five games in December 2015 after telling female referee Bibiana Steinhaus that women had no place in men’s football, after he was sent off while playing for Fortuna Dusseldorf in the German Second Division. Demirbay apologised to the official on his Facebook page and subsequently refereed a junior league girls’ match.

Arsenal handed Mohamed Elneny a contract extension this week but it is understood they will be in the market for a central midfielder this summer, especially if either Jack Wilshere or Aaron Ramsey leave the club.

Wilshere has so far proved reluctant to sign a heavily performance-incentivised deal while Ramsey will have just one year left on his existing agreement this summer. Mislintat has so far proven keen to raid Germany for players, having been instrumental in signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund in January. Raul Sanllehi has since joined the club as head of football relations.