Arsenal look like they are on the brink of completing a move for Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho in the January transfer window.
Carvalho has been linked with an Arsenal move for quite a while now, with Arsene Wenger failing to agree on a fee with Sporting last summer.
However, with Arsenal needing a defensive midfielder, who can also play in the centre-back positions, the interest has not cooled, with Wenger set to make a move for the Portugal international this month.
According to the Daily Mail, Arsenal expect to complete a move for Carvalho within the next couple of weeks, with the fee set to be anywhere around £20-25 million.
Carvalho has always said he would love to play in the English Premier League, and he reiterated that longing again, fuelling the Arsenal move fire further.
"My dream is to play in England," he told Record.
Carvalho also revealed his agent Jorge Mendes is in talks with clubs in England over a potential move, which suggests that transfer to Arsenal could be a reality soon.
Manchester United were also interested in signing the midfielder in the past, but that interest has reportedly gone down since the arrival of Louis Van Gaal, who bought Daley Blind last summer and is in the hunt to sign Kevin Strootman at the end of the season.
"I know some clubs are interested but my agent Jorge is looking after it and I am relaxed," he added.
"Now my mission is to work in Sporting and they will be in charge of any transfer and my future. That is very important."
It is quite clear Carvalho would be open to a move to Arsenal, with the only real problem being agreeing a fee with Sporting.
That is never an easy proposition when it comes to Wenger, who is notoriously tight when it comes to doling out the money for a player.
Carvalho has the undoubted talent and he will be one of the few really top-quality players available in January and if Wenger seriously sees the need for a defensive midfielder, then he will probably see that £20-25 million as a wise investment.
The Arsenal manager admitted he is also looking to sign a defender in January, and it remains to be seen if he sees Carvalho as that player who can fit into two roles – as a midfield screener and as an emergency centre-back.
With Mathieu Debuchy injured, there is a real case for Arsenal to sign a proper centre-back as Calum Chambers is likely to be shifted to the right-back role again even with the impressive form of Hector Bellerin.
However, that need for a central defender should not stop Wenger from buying Carvalho, who will give Arsenal that extra edge and physicality in midfield, something they have lacked often, especially in the big games.
Who knows, maybe even before the Manchester City game next weekend, a William Carvalho and/or a central defender like a Winston Reid might be ready for action in an Arsenal shirt?
