£45m deal Andrea Berta masterminded could now help Arsenal sign Jarell Quansah

Arsenal have opened talks to sign Jarell Quansah.

Mikel Arteta is keen to bring in a defender this summer with William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both out injured.

Quansah is viewed as an ideal alternative to Ezri Konsa, who Aston Villa are demanding £60million for.

However, similarly, Bayer Leverkusen do not want to sell.

The German club have been impressed with the 23-year-old’s adaptation to the Bundesliga, he has four years remaining on his contract, and they have no financial pressure to do business.

Convincing them to part with a player they rate highly will require more than just a good offer.

But Arsenal may hold a key advantage in that regard.

Arsenal’s working relationship with Bayer Leverkusen could help in Jarell Quansah pursuit

Indeed, Arsenal already have a positive working relationship with Leverkusen, built on a deal that worked well for everyone involved.

Piero Hincapie arrived at Arsenal last summer initially on a loan with an obligation to buy.

The structure of that deal benefited both clubs’ financial books in that particular instance.

The deal, masterminded by Andrea Berta, came in at around £45million and was completed smoothly, with both clubs coming away satisfied.

The Ecuadorian has since settled well at the Emirates and become a key part of Arteta’s defensive setup.

That kind of positive precedent could go a long way in helping their pursuit of Quansah.

Clubs are far more willing to do business with partners they trust, and Arsenal and Leverkusen have already shown they can work together.

Whether Leverkusen would sanction another loan-to-buy deal here is a separate matter, but Berta could structure the finances in a way that particularly benefits the German club.

The reported asking price of at least £43million is already significantly below what Arsenal have been quoted for Konsa.

If Berta can somehow iron out a price close to that, it could prove to be a smart pickup for the champions.