Arsenal made an enquiry into the availability of Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante before signing Jorginho, according to Kante's entourage.
Arsenal endured a frustrating January transfer window after they missed out on landing Mykhailo Mudryk who joined the Blues at the last minute.
Mikel Arteta then had his pursuit of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo curtailed after reportedly 'irritating' the Premier League side.
However, Arteta didn't dwell on his losses, instead adding Leandro Trossard and Jorginho to his squad, along with central defender Jakub Kiwior.
Advert
Indeed, both Trossard and Jorginho have already added a significant boost, and could be looked back on as a title-defining piece of business should Arsenal go on to lift the trophy.
But in the mix of a busy window, Arteta reportedly had his eye on Kante.
What happened?
During an interview with French news outlet Le Parisien, Kante's entourage discussed the 32-year-old's future, with his contract due to expire in the summer.
They claimed he had been approached by Arsenal over a possible move to the Emirates, while the midfielder's admiration for former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte was also revealed.
"N’Golo would like to continue his career in London, where he has his habits," it was explained.
"He liked working with Antonio Conte, but he has been sacked by Tottenham.
"Arsenal also made an enquiry… I think he will extend his deal at Chelsea before going to the Middle-East in two or three years."
It would appear the Gunners decided to look elsewhere, although not too far afield, turning their attention to fellow Chelsea midfielder Jorginho instead.
Kante came on against Aston Villa earlier this month for the first time since August, after the France international sustained a hamstring injury.
His absence has had a major impact on the Blues, who's 1-0 defeat to Wolves on the weekend epitomised their dismal campaign, as they were banished to the bottom half of the table.
Topics: Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, NGolo Kante, Chelsea, Football, Transfers
Joe Adams