Arsenal & Man Utd Boost As Pair Told They Can Buy €47m Target At Bargain Price

The summer transfer window is now open for business and it’s expected to be a busy few weeks as managers strengthen their squads ahead of next season, so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip. Today, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd have been handed a boost in their pursuit of William Carvalho.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd have been handed a boost in their pursuit of William Carvalho after Sporting Lisbon accepted they will have to sell the talented midfielder this summer, according to reports today.

Carvalho has emerged as one of the most sought-after young midfielders in Europe after an excellent season with Sporting last year, with his impressive displays earning him a place in the Portugal squad for this summers World Cup finals in Brazil.

His potential has also alerted a number of top clubs with Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd among those linked with a move for the powerful 22-year-old in recent months.

Reports last month claimed that the Gunners had tabled a £24m bid but Arsene Wenger’s offer was rebuffed with Sporting supposedly holding out for the full value of Carvalho’s €47m (£37m) buy-out clause.

However, the situation has since changed and reports in Portugal claim that following a meeting between club officials, the cash-strapped Portuguese outfit have accepted they must sell their prized asset in order to balance the books and raise funds for new signings.

Portuguese newspaper Record suggests that Sporting are so desperate for a quick injection of cash, they are now willing to sell Carvalho for substantially less than his buy-out figure and they want a deal done quickly to give them time to bring in an adequate replacement.

Therefore, the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and United have the opportunity to pick up the player at a bargain price. The only caveat is that due to the fact Carvalho is also part-owned by a third party, Sporting are demanding the full sale fee up front and not in installments.

That shouldn’t be an issue for any of the English trio as they all have substantial funds at their disposal, so a bidding war could now ensue. Arsenal have been hotly tipped to bring in a defensive midfielder this summer as Wenger looks to bring in a long-term replacement for Mikel Arteta, and with the club struggling to land other targets, Carvalho could now become a key target.

New United boss Louis van Gaal is also still on the look-out for a partner for Ander Herrera in his new 3-5-2 formation so he too could step up his interest in the Portuguese international over the coming weeks.

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Chelsea are less likely to make their interest formal as Jose Mourinho has indicated that his transfer business for the summer is done following the signings of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Filipe Luis, which could potentially leave Arsenal and United to battle it out for Carvalho’s signature.