By Joe Ridge

PUBLISHED: 02:46 EST, 1 November 2012 | UPDATED: 03:11 EST, 1 November 2012

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has turned his attention to the Bundesliga once more as he looks to bolster his under-performing squad.

As exclusively revealed by Sportsmail earlier this week, Wenger has decided to expand his German scouting network and he has sent chief scout Steve Rowley to implement his plans.

The club already have four Germans on their books in the shape of internationals Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker and youngsters Serge Gnabry and Thomas Eisfeld.

Class act: Schurrle (left) is rated among the best young forwards in Europe

Class act: Schurrle (left) is rated among the best young forwards in Europe

Now, Caught Offside are reporting that Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle has joined Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby - a long-term target - on Wenger's wishlist.

Schurrle, a member of Germany's Euro 2012 squad, is a versatile forward capable of playing out wide or through the middle.

He was subject to a failed 20million bid from Chelsea in August and Leverkusen are likely to want at least that amount next summer.

Wenger is keen to add to his attacking options with doubts remaining over the futures of Theo Walcott and Marouane Chamakh and the 21-year-old fits the bill perfectly.

Bargain: Lewis Holtby is available on a free transfer at the end of the season

Bargain: Lewis Holtby is available on a free transfer at the end of the season

Holtby, meanwhile, is out of contract at the end of the season and impressed Wenger during Schalke's 2-0 win at the Emirates in the Champions League earlier this month.

The 22-year-old, who has two caps for Germany, has an English father and earlier this week his agent revealed Premier League clubs had been in contact regarding a summer move.

'Lewis is very good at Schalke but above all there is an English club which has made a very interesting proposal,' Markus Noack told calciomercato.com.

Liverpool are also thought to be interested in Holtby, an Everton fan.

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holtby on a free id take that

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HAHAHA very funny! as if we would belive that Wenger is acctually going to pay money for a football player! BTW the cost of both is something like 40mill, thats wenger budget for a decade!

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I'm pretty sure Schurrle and Holtby want to win trophies; so why would they waste their careers playing for a small loser club like Arsenal?

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"Or of course he can just promote an untested youngsters from our own ranks and the board pocket the cash from player sales." - BB , London, 01/11/2012 09:17; To be fair to Wenger, this time around I think in Gnabry and Eisfeld he has two potentially very good players on his hands and it wouldn't be such a bad thing if he promoted them rather than buying players just a couple of years older for extortionate fees. I'd love to see Holtby and Schurrle at Arsenal, but I think it'll be the same old story where we're eventually priced out of it by moneybags City and Chelski.

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Holtby on a free would be worth a punt for many teams. Schurrle though? Seems more unlikely. His favoured position on the left wing is already occupied by Podolski and seeing how Leverkusen want 23.5mn for him (according to their sporting director Rudi Voller) i think that 1) Arsene wont spend that much on anyone, let alone someone with lots yet to prove and 2) if he were to spend 23.5mn, it'd be on a more proven striker.

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I can see us getting Holtby, but I think Arsene would rather spend £20m+ on a proven attacker.

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Fancies a bit of german sausage does he x

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So DM thrifty Wenger will pay 20 Million + for unproven Schurrle when Huntelaar is going for 7 Million and Hernandez for 12 Million? Or of course he can just promote an untested youngsters from our own ranks and the board pocket the cash from player sales. Have you just met Arsene Wenger or something - as if he's going to spend 30 Million + in a window

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I can see the Schurrle deal maybe happening. His wages arent too high. But probarbly a swap deal, and money. Maybe squillaci park and bendtner all in contention, but i dont think he'll sign a german in the winter. Too hard to sign as there stubborn Board Members wont allow it. Think this winter buy one defender, and then sell the rest of the dead wood

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If Chelsea failed with a 20 million offer, then Arsenal are definately out of contention, DM.

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