Arsenal target Per Mertesacker interested in switch

Mertesacker says English football interests him (GETTY IMAGES)

Germany defender Per Mertesacker has admitted he fancies a move to the Premier League.

The 26-year-old Werder Bremen player has long been linked with a move to Arsenal, who are in the hunt for a new centre-back.

"For a national player it is a good thing to get experience of playing abroad," Mertesacker said in the Bild newspaper.

"I have said that England excites me."

Mertesacker, who is a regular in Joachim Low's Germany team, can leave Bremen on a free next summer so they may be tempted to cash in on one of their most highly-rated players in the current transfer window.

Sporting director Klaus Allofs said: "Should Per say that he wants to try something different and it is interesting for us, then we will sit down together. We have enough defenders."

Arsenal are on the look-out for defensive reinforcements and have also been linked with Bolton's Gary Cahill and Everton's Phil Jagielka.