Swap transfers make a lot of sense when finances are tight, but you also need to be dealing with a team who is on a similar level and can afford to pay similar wages to make it happen.
The Daily Star have suggested that Arsenal could be looking to include a player in the deal to sign Sporting CP wonderkid Joelson Fernandes this summer, but it’s hard to see what player would make that move.
They confirm that Arsenal are looking to offload players like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Matteo Guendouzi, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Mohamed Elneny, but it’s unlikely that Sporting would be able to match their wages.
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As a result they indicate that it could be a fringe or a youth player who’s offered to Sporting instead, as they desperately try to find a way to bring down his €40m asking price.
They compare him to Cristiano Ronaldo and it’s clear that Fernandes is very highly regarded, and a move to Arsenal could also come at a good time.
He shouldn’t face too much pressure as Willian will be seen as the big signing in the forward areas, while he would also get the chance to learn and develop from the Brazilian forward.
They confirm that Arsenal are favourites to sign him and that’s clear when they point out that he’s being represented by Kia Joorabchian, but finding a way to meet Sporting’s demands could be the big problem here.