Since May, Arsenal have been one of the teams on the list of suitors for 17-year-old Sporting CP winger Joelson Fernandes, according to reports in Portugal.
More recent Joelson Fernandes updates:
- Arsenal offering €15m for Joelson Fernandes
- Arsenal representatives in Lisbon for Joelson transfer
- Joelson has agreement in principle for Sporting extension
- €20m Arsenal bid for €45m Joelson rejected
- Kia Joorabchian: Arsenal links to Joelson are so…
Portuguese outlet Record reported in May that Arsenal were one of a number of clubs from England and Germany following Joelson Fernandes.
Kia Joorabchian is working with the player, which Record claimed could help him secure a move to the Premier League. That’s certainly pretty easy to believe, given Joorabchian’s current close links to Arsenal.
Sporting, on the other hand, want Joelson to sign a new contract with a €100m release clause. They’re clearly not happy about the idea of losing him for cheap. The player’s current contract reportedly lasts until 2022, at which point he’ll still only be 19.
The left-winger played in Sporting’s u23 team for most of this season, making 28 appearances. He scored five goals and assisted a couple, also occasionally featuring on the right.
With his country, Joelson is a Portuguese u17 international, playing and scoring in the European Championship qualifiers in November. His good performances with club and country drew interest from around Europe.
Given the two years left on his contract, this may not be one Arsenal push for right away. Unless Sporting are willing to sell cheap, it could be in the Gunners’ interest to let the contract run down while he continues his development.
If it’s a matter of buying now or watching him stick a €100m clause in his contract, however, we might see some more immediate progress.
Get the latest Joleson Fernandes updates here