Arsenal are one of the clubs who have been in contact with Shanghai Shenhua about a loan deal for winger Stephan El Shaarawy, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.

The Italian journalist, who works closely with Fabrizio Romano at Sky in Italy, says that the Gunners, along with Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, have all made enquiries about the 27-year-old.

El Shaarawy has been given permission to return to Europe on loan, but it is believed his preference would be to play for former club Roma as he looks to make Italy’s squad for the European Championships next summer.

The winger has 25 caps for his country but he was not included in Roberto Mancini’s most recent squad for the Nations League games against Bosnia and the Netherlands earlier this month.

Whether Arsenal would actually need El Shaarawy, it is questionable, considering he generally plays off the left-wing, a position which the London club are pretty well catered for.