There were extensive Arsenal transfer rumours linking the Gunners to Sporting Lisbon’s brilliant midfielder William Carvalho in the summer before he was cruelly injured playing for Portugal in the U21 World Cup.
Arsenal have already got Francis Coquelin, got the injury to the Frenchman showed that we have inadequate backup in the form of Matthieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta to sustain our fantastic form we have when Le Coq is playing. Both of these reserves are getting on in years now and are expected to part company with the club at the end of the season, which will leave a gaping hole in the squad.
Sporting have signalled their intent to cash in on Carvalho with a new contract increasing his buyout clause to £35m, which they announced on Sporting’s official website with this report: “Under the terms and for the purposes of compliance with the reporting requirements stemming from Article 248 , paragraph 1 al. a) of the Securities Code, the Board of Directors of Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol, SAD announces that the athlete William Carvalho Silva extended his contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal – Futebol SAD until the season 2019/2020, settling the termination clause in €45,000,000.00 (forty- five million euros).”
Personally, I think that £35m is a fair price for a 23 year-old with such proven talent, and if we had him and Coquelin alternating as DM we could approach next season in confident style.
What do you think?