Arsenal initiate contact for €60m signing – Trying to win London battle

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made Sporting Club de Portugal left-back Maxi Araujo a number one target after being impressed by him in the Champions League.

Record report that Araujo has attracted the attention of several clubs in Europe and, among those, Arsenal are showing concrete interest in a move.

Arsenal left impressed

According to the newspaper’s information, Arsenal and Mikel Arteta were left impressed by Maxi Araujo’s performance against them recently in the Champions League.

His displays ‘caught the eye’ of Arteta and he identified the 26-year-old as a first-choice target. The Gunners expect competition too so have ‘moved from words to action’.

Initial contact with Araujo and his representatives has already taken place. Currently the conversations are nothing more than an ‘exploratory approach’.

Aware of the growing interest in Araujo, and Arsenal’s approach, Sporting are clear about protecting their asset. They’ve set an €80m release clause but will negotiate below that. They won’t go beneath €60m, though.

London battle

Arsenal are not the only Premier League side keen. Chelsea and Tottenham recently sent scouts to watch the defender in action against Porto.

As did Atletico Madrid, Arsenal’s opponents in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Scouts are regularly attending Sporting games to watch the Uruguayan play.

In recent transfer windows, Atalanta and Napoli both inquired about the Sporting number 20 as well. Juventus and Milan are also believed to be keeping an eye on him.

Arsenal, then, could face stern and high-level competition for his signature. They appear to be aware of that and are already making moves to get ahead of the competition, particularly in London.

Whether they’d do a deal at €60m is up for debate. With Ricardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Miles Lewis-Skelly at left back already, the Gunners hardly need to strengthen in that position this summer.

But they’re clearly interest in Maxi Araujo, who, according to Record, has very much impressed Mikel Arteta.