Arsenal have made contact with Chelsea to sign central defender Kurt Zouma, football writer and journalist Emanuele Giulianelli wrote on Twitter.
The Frenchman is currently out injured with a knee injury that he suffered in February during Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
He is expected to resume training in August but Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is still determined to bring the 21-year-old to the Emirates.
The youngster was often praised by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho who tipped him to be a future captain at Stamford Bridge during an interview last year.
Zouma was one of Mourinho's future men for the defensive department but new manager Antonio Conte might have other ideas ahead of this summer's transfer window.
