Arsenal
Arsenal Fail With €8m Bid For Brazilian Striker
Arsenal have seen an opening bid of €8million (£6.6m) rejected by Corinthians for a Brazilian striker who’s scored 10 goals in 25 games. Find out who here.
Although the summer transfer window is officially closed that doesn’t stop clubs working hard behind the scenes to prepare for future signings, so we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest gossip. Today, Arsenal have failed with a bid to sign Pato.
Pato: Pictured during his AC Milan days
Arsenal have seen an opening bid of €8m (£6.6m) rejected by Corinthians for Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato, according to the Mirror.
The 24-year-old only returned to his homeland from AC Milan last January in a €15m deal after a series of injuries hampered his progress at the San Siro, and he’s since helped Corinthians win the 2013 Campeonato Paulista and Recopa Sudamericana.
Despite scoring 10 goals in 25 starts, the Brazilian striker has failed to live up to his reputation, leading to speculation he could be set for a move back to Europe when the transfer window re-opens in January with both Arsenal and Tottenham understood to be interested.
However, it appears the Gunners have made the first move with the Mirror citing reports coming out of Brazil that claim Arsene Wenger has made contact with the Sao Paulo club over the striker and submitted an opening bid of €8m.
The newspaper suggests the Brazilians rejected the offer but may be prepared to negotiate after Pato faced a backlash from his own supporters and was criticised by club officials after missing a penalty in a shootout against Gremio that saw his team knockout out of the Copa do Brazil last month.
Since then, he’s started just 3 of Corinthians last 11 league matches and his performances have been well below par, so a move away this winter could suit both parties as the striker looks to play his way into the Brazil squad for next summers World Cup.
Arsenal have enjoyed a flying start to the season and currently sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League after 13 games, but boss Arsene Wenger is heavily reliant on Olivier Giroud up front and Pato’s potential arrival could ease the pressure on the big Frenchman during the second half of the campaign.
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