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Arsene Wenger has made a check on Brazilian World Cup star Luiz Gustavo.

Wenger sent scouts to check on the Wolfsburg midfielder in their Bundesliga opener, a 2-1 defeat away to champions Bayern Munich.

Wolfsburg are keen on Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski – and that could even raise the chance of a player-plus-cash deal.

Gunners boss Wenger also had a spy at Bayer Leverkusen’s win at Borussia Dortmund where Marco Reus played.

Reus was on Arsenal’s radar earlier in the summer but Wenger’s priority is now a defensive midfielder and centre half.

(Image: Angel Martinez)

They are desperate to strengthen both departments with Olympiacos’s Greek defender Kostas Manolas also on their hit list but they face competition from Roma.

Arsenal nearly signed 27-year-old Gustavo last summer but the midfielder wanted assurances about playing regularly which Wenger was not prepared to give.

Now it seems they are interested again as they step up a search for a holding midfielder with Mikel Arteta injured and Mathieu Flamini has struggled to make himself a regular.

Wenger has publicly admitted that he wants a defensive midfielder but ideally he would look at one who could also play centre half. Dortmund’s Sven Bender could do that role but was on the bench this weekend.

(Image: Getty Images)

Wolfsburg and Juventus are keen on Podolski who was left out of the squad for the trip to Everton on Saturday.

Podolski is on £100,000-a-week which could be a major stumbling block for interested clubs and it is believed Juventus are interested in a loan rather than a permanent switch.

But Wolfsburg have the cash to make a permanent move and a deal involving Podolski could make it happen. Podolski wants to be starting more regularly but it is far from inevitable that he will leave this summer.