Arsenal are interested in the Sporting fullback Cristiano Piccini, according to reports from the Portuguese media this Tuesday.
Newspaper Jornal de Notícias claims the Gunners are willing to sign the 25-year-old this summer, and have already prepared an amount to do so.
It’s reported Arsenal would offer €20m to take the player. That would be a big profit for Sporting, who signed Piccini from Real Betis for less than €3m last summer.
Maybe that’s why, unsurprisingly, the bid would be enough for Sporting to accept. Even though Portuguese clubs normally play hard, demanding release clauses and all, Jornal de Notícias claims that €20m is an amount the Lisbon side would be happy to take.
The newspaper makes it clear that things are still ‘far from done’, but there’s the possibility the player could be moving to London in the summer.
Meanwhile, they also give a message to the other clubs who are interested in Piccini. That would be Juventus and West Ham, who now would have to outbid Arsenal in the race.
In case many clubs go for him, then Sporting will start raising the demands. The player has a €45m release clause, so he’s well protected by the Lions.
