Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their reported pursuit of Eduardo Camavinga, with Real Madrid having no intention of allowing the Frenchman to leave, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Camavinga situation

Camavinga has been a bit-part player under Carlo Ancelotti this season, with the centre-midfielder featuring in every La Liga game and five of their Champions League group tie - though only seven have come in the starting XI.

The 20-year-old arrived for £34.4m (via Sky Sports) from Rennes in 2021 amid previous interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United (via ESPN).

Arriving as a huge prospect following debut at just 16 years, four months and 27 days, he’s settled in well in Madrid with 66 appearances in just 18 months.

However, he's struggled to displace Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the engine room, which may have led to the Gunners exploring whether he may be available on loan - which could be seen as audacious given the teenager's present standing in the game, having played in last month's World Cup final.

The Latest: Romano update

Following Standard Sport’s report that Arsenal were set to launch a shock loan attempt for the Frenchman, Romano revealed on his YouTube channel that the Champions League holders have no intention to let him go.

He said: “What I’m told, at this moment on the market, is that Real Madrid have absolutely no intention to let Camavinga leave on loan.

"At the moment, Real Madrid want to continue with the same squad, at least until the end of the season.

“They’re convinced Camavinga is an important player for the present and future, so at the moment, Real Madrid are not having any kind of conversation to let Camavinga leave.

“Let’s see if this will change in the next days, but as of today, while I'm speaking, I’m not aware of any negotiation for Eduardo Camavinga on loan, so not an easy one at all for Arsenal.”

Romano has since tweeted an update, with the star’s agent Joshua Barnett claiming “there’s no truth” behind the rumours claiming that he’s set to leave.

The Verdict: Midfielders targeted?

With the reports of the Gunners' potential interest, it seems Mikel Arteta now wants to strengthen in the middle of the park - and we can see why.

Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey have nailed down their places in the side this season, with the pair playing 1,529 and 1,305 Premier League minutes respectively (via WhoScored). Meanwhile, Camavinga is well-versed in playing a deeper midfielder role, with him often deployed there with Los Blancos.

Arsenal’s current backups are Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny, with the pair playing just over 300 minutes between them, perhaps hinting Arteta is keen to add more depth and options to the engine room.