Arsenal prepare bid for Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red

Manager Arsene Wenger is determined to sign another midfielder before the start of the season, even after the acquisition of such playmakers as Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey, and can use the money from the sale of Alexander Hleb to meet Madrid’s £9.5 million valuation of De la Red.

Arsenal, also linked with unsettled Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso along with Barry, have been tracking the progress of De la Red, who has just returned from an impressive loan spell at Getafe, prompting Madrid — who would be unable to deploy him regularly in their first team — to try to cash in on the 23-year-old’s talents. De la Red, who scored his first goal for Spain at this summer’s European Championship and was a substitute in the friendly against Arsenal on Sunday, said: “I am not closing the door to any team. I like the Premier League and the way they play their football.”