Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho has revealed his desire to play in the Premier League and says Arsenal have been his dream club.
The 23-year-old midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in the summer but Arsene Wenger chose not to spend money on signing any outfield players.
Carvalho in a recent interview to Portugal newspaper A Bola, has spoken of his fondness for Arsenal and club legend Thierry Henry in particular.
“I am where I want to be right now, which is Sporting, but if I ever do leave then it’s a sign that my work here was well done,” he told A Bola. “I dream of winning the Primeira Liga here.
“I prefer not to say too much, but there is a club with which I’ve always been fond of: Arsenal. Because of Thierry Henry, a player with whom I have always enjoyed watching.
“Maybe this is why I look with so much affection to the Premier League.”
Carvalho, who has developed into a key player for both club and country, has a contract at Sporting till 2018, and has a reported release clause of €45m.
Premier League giants Manchester United reportedly were linked with a move for the Portugal midfielder, but it seems the Red Devils’s interest in him have died down.
United have signed two central midfielders in Morgan Schneriderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger this summer, and it is unlikely they will make a fresh approach for Carvalho any time soon.
Carvalho is a highly talented midfielder but very few clubs in Europe would be willing to dish out €45m for his services. There are other quality players around at that price so unless Sporting drop down Carvaloho’s transfer value it’s really hard to see big European clubs making a move for him.
Wenger has kept huge faith on young Francis Coquelin in the holding midfield role, but with Flamini and Arteta not getting any younger, it remains to be seen whether the Arsenal boss is willing to spend big money on Carvalho next summer.
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