Roma are set to challenge Arsenal for the signature of Saint-Etienne youngster William Saliba this summer.
The 18-year-old centre-back is considered one of the top young talents of French football and has been heavily linked with a move away from Saint-Etienne.
Saliba has only 19 senior appearances under his belt for Saint-Etienne, but Arsenal are convinced of his potential and already hace a personal term agreement in place.
The Gunners still have to do a deal with Saint-Etienne, who want around €30m plus Saliba back for a season-long loan.
But they are likely to face Italian competition for his signature, as according to Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport, Saliba has also emerged as a target for Serie A giants Roma.
And the Giallorossi are considering challenging Arsenal in the race to snap up one of the top young defensive talents in Europe.
However, negotiations are expected to be tough as Saint-Etienne are in no mood to shift from their demands.
And if they are not met, Saint-Etienne are happy to postpone the sale until next summer.
