Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic hands in transfer request to force through Arsenal move
Gunners want to make the Croat their second-highest paid player, offering him a £250,000-a-week contract
INTER forward Ivan Perisic has handed in a transfer request as he tries to secure his move to Arsenal.
Although the Italians are keen on letting the Croatia international go, they have rejected the Gunners' offer to loan the 29-year-old until the end of the season, with an option to make the deal permanent in the summer.
Arsenal have reportedly offered Perisic a bumper contract worth £250,000-a-week, which would make him the second highest-earner at the Emirates - behind Mesut Ozil.
The Gunners would also have an option to buy the Croat for around £34.5million in the summer.
But Inter prefer to offload Perisic in a permanent deal, or include an obligation to buy - and have rejected the offer.
However, the 2018 World Cup star is desperate to leave San Siro and has handed in a transfer request to force through his move to the Emirates.
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Inter director Giueseppe Marotta told : "Perisic has asked to leave but there is no offer for him.
"We will see in the coming days. We will listen to the request of Perisic, he has put in a transfer request; we must try to satisfy him but also respect the value of him."
Perisic, a long-term transfer target for Manchester United, has only scored three goals in 20 Serie A games this season.
And Inter coach Luciano Spalletti has opened the door for the former Borussia Dortmund star to leave San Siro - as the Nerrazzuri are reportedly raising funds for a move for Real Madrid star Luka Modric.
He said: "Perisic is a very good player, of course there's rumours about him during the transfer window.
"If a player is good, it's obvious that every club would want him.
"Of course, then the figures must be adequate for things to go through."