Transfer News: Arsenal Join Man Utd In Chase For £60m-Rated Midfielder

Arsenal have joined Manchester United in the race for Renato Sanches after Arsene Wenger sent scouts to watch the Benfica midfielder over the weekend, according to the Daily Mail.

The 18-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects in Portuguese football since breaking in to the Benfica first team this season having come through the clubs youth set-up.

Sanches’s potential has caught the eye of some of Europe’s most powerful clubs with the Daily Mail claiming that Manchester United have been in talks with Benfica over a potential deal since back in January.

The newspaper suggests that the teenager is hopeful a deal can be agreed but so far the two clubs have been unable to settle on a fee with Sanches’s contract running until 2021 and his buyout clause set at an eye-watering £60m.

It looks like United’s failure to wrap-up a deal may cost them as the Daily Mail claim that Arsenal scouts joined United representatives in the stands to run-the-rule over Sanches during Benfica’s clash with Academica on Saturday.

The Gunner’s scouts would have been impressed by what they saw as Sanches was named as the Man of the Match a 2-1 win but as yet the North Londoners have not made any formal move for the talented midfielder.

We’ll have to wait and see if Wenger decides to step-up his interest over the coming weeks and really rival United for his signature but Sanches would be an exciting addition for either club if they were able to do a deal with Benfica.

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The youngster has predominantly played as a central midfielder for club and country so he’s likely being eyed by United as a long-term replacement for Michael Carrick, who’s out of contact at the end of the season.

However, Arsenal also need reinforcements in the middle of the park with Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini set to leave when their contracts expire in June, and it looks like Sanches is now also on Wenger’s radar.