Arsenal have ‘already moved’ for Real Valladolid youngster Iván Fresneda ahead of a ‘frantic race’ for his signature in January.
That’s according to AS, who cover the defender today and the developing battle for ‘one of the most promising young talents in European football’.
They explain that the 18-year-old right-back has been confirming all of the beliefs about him in recent months with a series of impressive performances in Valladolid’s first team.
That has set up a race for his signature next month, when there is a belief he will be ‘one of the agitators’ of the winter market.
Valladolid fought off interest in his signature last summer, getting the player signed to a new deal that included a €10m release clause.
That deal also included other clauses which saw his release clause rise to €30m after six games in the first team and then €45m once he hits 22 games.
His suitors are keen to avoid the last happening and have ‘already moved’ to try and secure his signature before his value rises even further.
Arsenal are one of them, with them named among a host of other Premier League sides to have made the first efforts to make a deal happen.
According to the newspaper’s information, they and other interested partied had wanted to wait until the summer but it may be too late by that point, and they now want to move in January instead.
Thus, they are ‘already talking’ with Valladolid about a deal for ‘around half’ of his current €30m release clause. Whether Valladolid would accept such a figure isn’t made clear.
It seems unlikely that they would given they know they can continue to use the player and increase his release clause to an even higher amount, something which would only give them further power in negotiations with suitors such as Arsenal.