Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio this summer, and his agents have jetted into England.

What’s the news?

That’s according to The Mirror, who claim that the 27-year-old's agents will be in London this week to get a feel for any Premier League interest in the Spaniard.

His contract expires at the end of the current campaign and he is free to speak to clubs about signing a pre-contract agreement ahead of any potential summer move.

Arsenal have been linked with the player since last year, and with his future at Madrid now uncertain, Mikel Arteta will be hoping to convince the 27-year-old that a move to north London is the best option for him.

Arteta’s own Phil Foden

Carlo Ancelotti has utilised Asensio a lot more recently, but his lack of game-time during the early weeks of the season may have dented his confidence, and a fresh start could be the best thing for him.

There is no denying his quality, and he is also statistically similar to Manchester City sensation Phil Foden. Under Pep Guardiola, the young Englishman has blossomed into one of the finest talents on the continent, scoring 54 goals and registering 37 assists in just under 200 games for City. If Arteta could land a player in a similar mould, it would have to be considered a major coup for Arsenal.

Indeed, according to FBref, Foden is the sixth-most comparable player to Asensio. Considering just how much the 22-year-old has managed to win in the game so far (11 trophies, including four Premier League titles), and that he is probably still some way off his peak years, it isn’t a bad comparison to have at all for the Spaniard.

This season, the two players have registered comparable returns with regard to total shots (21 to 28, Asensio first), goal-creating actions per match (0.72 to 0.78), shot-creating actions per game (3.95 to 4.74), successful take-ons (50% to 37.9%) and tackles won (five to seven).

These statistics indicate that both players offer valuable attacking threats and can cause considerable damage to the opposition by creating plenty of chances during a match.

WhoScored also suggests that both Foden and Asensio excel at passing and holding on to the ball, proving that not only are they both excellent at going forward, they can also dictate the play and circulate the ball very well, allowing their team to retain possession. This could be vital for Arteta, who is known for being a possession-oriented coach.

The £167k-per-week Asensio was once dubbed “magical” by former team-mate Casemiro and could certainly be a wonderful signing for Arsenal if they can bring him to London. If he could go on to replicate the form shown by Foden in the Premier League, Arteta may well seal one of the bargains of the summer transfer window in the three-time Champions League winner.