Arsenal & Liverpool Set For January Battle Over £25m Midfielder

With the summer transfer window now closed for business, it’s time to start looking at those deals that failed to get over the line and those which are being lined-up for the future. Today, Arsenal and Liverpool are linked with William Carvalho…

Arsenal and Liverpool are being tipped for a January battle over the signing of Sporting Lisbon’s £25m-rated midfielder William Carvalho, according to the Express.

Carvalho has long been linked with a move to the Premier League with the Liverpool Echo reporting over the summer that scouts from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool had been keeping a close eye on the midfielder towards the end of last season.

Arsenal then appeared to have moved in to pole position to sign the Portuguese international with the Express claiming back in July that Arsene Wenger was ready to make a formal move for his signature.

A deal failed to materialise in the end and Carvalho stayed at Sporting Lisbon but his season got off to a disappointing start after he was ruled out for several weeks with a stress fracture.

However, the 23-year-old is closing in on his return to action and it looks like Arsenal and Liverpool are ready to renew their interest as the Express are now reporting today that the duo will go head-to-head for the player this January.

The newspaper suggests that with the two clubs enduring difficult starts to the new campaign, Wenger and Rodgers are ready to target Carvalho when the transfer window reopens with the player valued at around £25m.

Both Arsenal and Liverpool could easily afford that sort of money and I think Carvalho would be an excellent addition for either club if they did decide to make a formal swoop this winter, but I feel a move to the Emirates would make the most sense.

The Gunners have an obvious gap in their squad with few viable alternatives behind Francis Coquelin so Carvalho would provide real depth in a problem area for the North Londoners.

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Liverpool on the other hand have Lucas Leiva and Emre Can competing with the likes of Jordan Henderson and James Milner for a midfield role so I feel Rodgers may have other areas he should concentrate on strengthening this winter.