Arsenal to miss out on Andre who was scouted by Edu with Fulham now ‘favourites’
Four Arsenal players who’s contract expires at the end of the season
Arsenal are reportedly set to be forced to alter their January transfer plans as they are no longer leading the race for Fluminense star Andre. Mikel Arteta is desperate to bolster his midfield ranks but will need to return to the drawing board and shortlist alternative targets.
The Gunners have enjoyed a strong start to the season and have confirmed that they, once more, will push for the Premier League title. The arrivals of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and David Raya have added a fresh spark at the Emirates Stadium, but further signings are anticipated.
With Thomas Partey ruled out for the remainder of the 2023, signing a new midfielder has quickly become a priority at the Emirates Stadium. Several options have been linked with a move to north London, but Andre has consistently been the strongest link.
The Brazilian playmaker was pursued by Arsenal over the summer but Fluminense insisted that they would not part ways with the midfielder whilst the Copa Libertadores was ongoing, postponing transfer negotiations until January. Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are among the clubs that have been expected to make a push for the 22-year-old, but the trio all could be set to miss out.
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According to The Mirror, Fulham are leading the race for Andre and have positioned themselves as the front of the queue to secure his signature when the January transfer window opens. Marco Silva’s side feel that the midfielder is the ideal candidate to replace Joao Palhinha when he departs – with Bayern Munich expected to reignite their interest in the Portugal international.
Arsenal will be especially disappointed if Andre does head to Craven Cottage given that they have monitored his progress closely for over a year. According to 90min, Gunners sporting director Edu travelled out to Brazil specifically to scout the midfielder recently to ensure that he was the correct fit for Arteta’s side.
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It remains to be seen whether Arsenal still attempt to lure Andre to north London with a lucrative offer of their own and try to spark a bidding war with Fulham, which they would be firm favourites to win.
However, the Gunners do have alternative targets, with Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz among their top targets having tabled three bids for the 25-year-old towards the latter stages of the summer transfer window. Villa are not looking to entertain offers for the Brazilian and convinced him to pen a new deal with the club earlier this year, but the prospect of challenging for the Premier League could prove persuasive.
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