Arsenal begin talks over Marcelo Brozovic with Gunners leading £6.4m chase for Inter Milan target

• Marcelo Brozovic to hold discussions with Arsenal in November
• Player's representative Miroslav Bicanic keen for talks with Gunners
• Inter Milan have already offered £3.5million for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder 

By Simon Jones for MailOnline

Published: 16:15 EST, 18 October 2014 | Updated: 16:15 EST, 18 October 2014

Arsenal have opened discussions over a £6.4million deal for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.

The player's representative Miroslav Bicanic said he was to hold talks with Arsenal in November when Brozovic is expected to be in the Croatia squad to face USA at Craven Cottage.

However, initial talks were held on Thursday with Arsenal keen to fend off competition from Inter Milan for the 21-year-old.

Croatia's Marcelo Brozovic (left) tries to score next to Bulgaria's Nikolay Gadzhev during their Euro 2016 group H qualifer last Friday as the midfielder has emerged as an Arsenal target

Brozovic leads an attack for Dinamo Zagreb in a Europa League match against FC Astra last month

The 21-year-old played for Croatia at the World Cup as he sees a shot blocked by Brazil's David Luiz

Inter have already offered £3.5million which is well short of Zagreb's valuation and Arsenal hold the upper hand.

Brozovic is a versatile midfielder and Arsene Wenger wants him to play as a deep-lying playmaker who can screen the back four.

Arsenal have been looking at similar players but Paris St Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot has expressed a desire to join Roma while Real Madrid's Sami Khedira is keen to join Chelsea.

Wenger also wants a defender in January with Celtic's Virgil van Dijk and Hull left-back Andy Robertson among his possible targets.