Arsenal join Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool and Spurs in Stephan El Shaarawy hunt

ARSENAL are the latest English club to be linked with a move for AC Milan forward Stephan El Shaarawy.

Arsenal are eyeing Stephan El Shaarawy [GETTY]

El Shaarawy has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham since the summer with Milan thought to hold no interest in selling the Italian international.

However, reports in Italy suggest that Milan may have had a change of heart with Massimo Allegri preferring Mario Balotelli and Alessandro Matri up front.

Indeed, Genoa president Enrico Preziosi is thought to proposed that El Shaarawy return to his former club during the upcoming transfer window.

Stephan El Shaarawy is behind Alessandro Matri (L) in the Milan pecking order [GETTY]

Arsenal have been alerted to Stephan El Shaarawy's possible availability

And that has alerted Arsenal, still looking for suitable back-up for Olivier Giroud in January, to the possibility that the 21-year-old may yet come onto the market.
Rumours at the end of October suggested that Arsenal had made tentative enquiries about El

Sharaawy and were quoted a £25m asking price, but these latest developments could see the Gunners step up their interest.
However, despite El Shaarawy's lack of playing time at the San Siro is thought to have dismissed Genoa's interest and is not looking to move.

Instead, with Milan currently sitting in 10th in Serie A El Shaarawy believes it is only a matter of time until he gets an opportunity, either when Allegri changes his tactics or when he is replaced.