Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge’s release clause has dropped from £45m to £35m following the Blades’ relegation to the Championship, according to Yorkshire Live.

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Everton and even Manchester City have been linked with the Norwegian international in recent months and the news about the 23-year-old’s availability could tempt the Gunners into the race for the player.

Manager Mikel Arteta is expected to be handed funds to rebuild the squad in the summer, after a very disappointing season, and one of the key areas that will need to be strengthened is in the middle of the park.

Dani Ceballos will return to Real Madrid after his loan spell, leaving Arsenal with just three senior midfield options in Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny.

Whether Berge would be seen as having the sufficient quality to warrant a £35m outlay, it remains to be seen. The Norwegian has been out for a large part of the season with a tendon injury, but he has arguably still been Sheffield United’s best player despite their very poor campaign.