Arsenal turn attentions to Yannick Carrasco after pulling the plug on Ivan Perisic deal

ARSENAL have pulled the plug on their attempts to sign Ivan Perisic but will instead target Yannick Carrasco, according to reports.

Boss Unai Emery was hoping to get a loan deal over the line for the Inter Milan winger with a view to a permanent move in the summer.

But despite Perisic handing in a transfer request, they are only willing to let him go on a permanent outright deal before Thursday's deadline.

And according to , it won't deter Emery from aiming to bolster the left side of his midfield this month.

He will instead turn his attentions to Belgium international Carrasco, who is currently plying his trade with Chinese side Dalian Yifang.

The former Atletico Madrid man is believed to be unhappy with life in Asia and is desperately hoping for a return to Europe to play in the last few months of the campaign.

Arsenal wouldn't be able to match his wages but it is understood he would be willing to take a pay cut to play in the Premier League.

Earlier this week, Carrasco's agent Christophe Henrotay told Football Italia how the player's family are struggling to adapt to life in China.

He said: "There's plenty of interest in Yannick from all over Europe because his family are having problems adapting to China.

"He's concerned about his family, which is completely normal. He has a lot of respect for his current club, Dalian, because he loves them and because they're a great team with a lot of history.

"He wants to be honest with them, and it's for this reason that he's talked to the club, informing them that he isn't 100 percent focused because of his family's difficulties.

"There's the possibility that Dalian reward this honesty and talk to the clubs interested in him."