Ricky Alvarez
Ricky Alvarez Reuters

If the latest reports are to be believed, North London-based Premier League giants Arsenal are set to prepare a summer transfer bid for Italian Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan’s Argentine midfielder Ricky Alvarez.

Alvarez, 24, who was called the “new Sneijder” when he first arrived at the club, was targeted by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger last season, who also prepared a bid for him. However, the deal failed to materialize when the player decided to join Inter Milan from his former Argentinean club Velez Sarsfield.

Alvarez didn’t have the brightest of starts in Italy and, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa and a Talksport report, the midfielder is keen on a summer move elsewhere.

The Gunners are on the alert by the player’s wish to move and may be keen to place yet another bid to lure away the player to the Emirates Stadium owing to the fact that key midfield players like Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere in the Gunners roster have suffered from injury this season.

Inter had paid around $16.15 million (£10 million) for Alvarez's services back in September but they will have no other choice but to request a far lesser amount if they intend to offload him at the end of the season.

Ricky Gabriel Alvarez, who arrived at Inter Milan from Argentine Primera Division club Velez Sarsfield, has made just 21 appearances for the Nerazzurri in all competitions and out of his 15 appearances for the club in the league, six have come from the bench.