Arsenal look to up their German contingent with a double-swoop

Arsenal hope to strengthen their squad with the capture of German internationals Karim Bellarabi and Benedikt Höwedes.

The Gunners already have a strong German contingent in their squad, with Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker both featuring regularly, and two more members of Die Mannschaft could follow suit. According to German publication SportBild, Arsenal have initiated contact ahead of potential moves for Höwedes and Bellarabi, both of whom are in the mix for the Euro 2016 squad. The 27-year-old defender Höwedes has spent his entire career with Schalke, and was one of three players not to miss a minute as Germany won the last World Cup. Bellarabi, meanwhile, is a 25-year-old forward who is a regular for Bayern Leverkusen and has been named in the latest Germany squad for their friendlies against France and The Netherlands.