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Arsenal eye bid after opening talks to sign £40m-rated defender

By on September 7, 2020

According to reports in Portugal via talkSPORT, Arsenal are weighing-up a formal offer after making contact with Sporting Lisbon to declare our interest in signing Nuno Mendes.

Mikel Arteta has snapped-up winger Willian on a free transfer this summer while centre-back Gabriel has arrived from Lille but the boss is expected to bring in a couple more new recruits before the window closes on October 5th.

A central midfielder is the priority as Arsenal need to strengthen in that department despite securing a deal to sign Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid as Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are expected to leave.

However, it appears Arsenal are also in the market for another left-back as Sead Kolasinac is being tipped to head back to Schalke in Germany having fallen out-of-favour under Arteta during the second half of last season.

talkSPORT are citing a report from O Jogo that claims Arsenal have made contact with Sporting Lisbon to declare our interest in signing highly-rated defender Nuno Mendes but we’ll face competition from AC Milan while Liverpool and Man Utd are also named as potential suitors.

The Portuguese newspaper says Arsenal are now weighing-up a formal bid for the 18-year-old after requesting information from Sporting but have been told by the Primeira Liga outfit we must meet Mendes’s £40m [€45m] release clause.

Sporting are under no pressure to cash-in on the cheap as the teenager recently signed a new contract so it looks like Arsenal will have to be prepared to dig deep if we want to get a deal agreed.

Mendes is a product of the Sporting youth system and impressed during his 9 appearances last season having made a breakthrough into the first team set-up during the second half of the campaign.

The teen is tipped for a bright future having represented Portugal at every youth level from U16 through to U19 level, however, I really don’t see Arsenal throwing too much money at getting a deal agreed this summer.

Money is tight at the Emirates right now and there’s no chance we’ll pay anywhere near £40m for Mendes so unless Sporting get more realistic with their asking price, I don’t think there’s any chance of a move happening.

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