Arsenal transfer news: Yannick Carrasco is on club's radar but isn't first choice as deadline looms

The Belgian winger is desperate to return to European football this month

Arsenal are in talks with Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco's camp over a loan move this month, but the Belgian is understood to only be a back-up option if other moves don't come off.

While Ferreira-Carrasco remains an intriguing option for the Gunners, with Dalian Yifang ready to let him return to Europe, Arsenal are also in talks over a number of other temporary deals designed to bolster their squad for the second half of the season.

Denis Suarez's incorporation into the squad should be sealed on Wednesday and does not affect any other arrivals, with the Barcelona midfielder, 25, expected to arrive on loan with an option to buy in the summer.

Ferreira-Carrasco is expected to be a similar negotiation in terms of structure, but Ivan Perisic of Inter Milan is the club's preferred option as an addition to play wide.

The issue with Perisic is that Inter are only willing to let him go for a big loan fee, something the Gunners are reluctant to pay, while the chase for Paris Saint-Germain's Christopher Nkunku also looks to have run cold.

Ferreira-Carrasco has had contact with Arsenal (AP)

Which is why Ferreira-Carrasco remains a possibility, even though his camp know that he wasn't a player Arsenal were actively pursuing as recently as last weekend.

The 25-year-old winger was offered to Arsenal earlier in the window but they showed little interest, only to rekindle things earlier this week by making contact. Ferreira-Carrasco was highly rated by Atletico Madrid during his time in Spain but was left with no choice but to leave last year as Atleti looked to clear room in their wage bill to sign Diego Costa back from Chelsea. The Madrid side also sold Augusto Fernandez and Nicolas Gaitan to Chinese clubs as they looked to cull high-earners and Ferreira-Carrasco was one of those, but with his best years ahead of him and a strong pedigree, he is now a player that Arsenal are considering bringing in to strengthen their push for the top four and Champions League football next season.