Talks Underway As Arsenal & Liverpool Face Battle To Sign 23-Year-Old Star

The summer transfer window is open and managers are working hard on their transfer targets so we’ll bring you all the latest gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal and Liverpool could miss out on Gelson Martins…

Arsenal and Liverpool face a battle to sign Gelson Martins after his agent opened talks with Atletico Madrid about a move to Spain this summer, according to a report via TeamTalk.

Martins has been with Sporting Lisbon his entire career having progressed through their youth system to become one of the most exciting young attackers in Portuguese football. The 23-year-old starred last season having provided 13 goals and 13 assists for Sporting to earn a place in Portugal’s World Cup squad.

However, Martins is set to leave the Estadio Jose Alvalde as the attacker is one of several players who have cancelled their contracts citing ‘just cause’ after the squad were attacked at the clubs training ground last month after missing out on Champions League qualification following a turbulent campaign.

Goalkeeper Rui Patricio has already agreed to join Wolves while the likes of  William Carvalho, Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Ribeiro, Bas Dost and Daniel Podence have joined Martins in trying to terminate their contracts.

Talks with the Sporting president are on-going but it looks like Martins could be available on a free transfer this summer and given his release clause was set at around £52m, it’s understandable that clubs are eyeing a bargain move.

TeamTalk claim that Arsenal and Liverpool are among the clubs to have expressed their interest in signing the winger this summer as the Premier League duo compete to lure Martins to England.

New Gunners boss Unai Emery has a strict budget to work with as he looks to overhaul the squad left behind by Arsene Wenger so a free transfer swoop for Martins would be ideal for the north Londoners.

Jurgen Klopp is also in the market for attacking reinforcements as he needs to add depth behind the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane if Liverpool are to compete on all fronts next season and Martins is seemingly on his radar.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

However, Arsenal and Liverpool face a fight to sign the Portuguese attacker as TeamTalk are citing a report from the Daily Express that says Martins’ agent Ulisses Santos has been in talks with Atletico Madrid over a possible move to Spain.