With just over a week to go before the summer transfer window shuts and all the Premier League clubs are stuck with what they have until January, Arsenal fans are hoping for at least two more players to come to the Emirates before Monday night.
One of those should be a defensively minded central midfielder, with Sami Khedira and William Carvalho looking like the most likely players according to the Arsenal transfer rumours in the papers at least. And this article is going to deal with the young Portuguese international who is currently playing for Sporting Club de Portugal.
There were suggestions this week that Chelsea were set to trump the Gunners with a £35 million bid, while we have apparently had a bid of 25 million euros rejected. However, the Portuguese sports paper A Bola has reported that his club have not had any contact from Jose Mourinho or anyone from Chelsea, leaving the way clear for Arsenal.
But that does not mean that we will get our man, even if we do up the offer and it is accepted, because the latest from A Bola is that the talented 22-year old has let it be known that he will only join Arsenal if we confirm our place in the Champions League group proper for this season. Because Sporting finished second in the Portugese league last season, they are already in the draw for the group phase and the young midfielder does not want to give that up, so that gives us even more reason, as if we need it, to beat Besiktas and book our place.
Then we will see what Wenger does. Who, if anyone, do you think Arsenal will sign next week?