Arsenal are reportedly ‘in the mix’ to sign Vitoria Guimaraes’s 20-year-old midfielder, Ibrahima Bamba, even though the player wasn’t expected to move in the January window but might now.

Arsenal are in the market for a defensive midfielder in the January window, one of three positions they are looking to strengthen as they target a Premier League title win for the first time since 2004.

Reports last month claimed that Arsenal had asked to be kept informed of any developments around Bamba’s availability should his club decide to sell him. Now, an update over the holidays claims that Arsenal are in the mix to sign him next month.

PSG, Club Brugge and Atalanta are also ‘in the mix’ with Arsenal.

The player is valued at around €3.5m but Vitoria Guimaraes are said to have priced him at almost 10 times that at €32.5m.

How he has any price when he isn’t for sale is a question for another day.

Bamba can also play as a centreback on the left or right and is under contract until 2026.

It is now being claimed that PSG are tracking him closely, too.

Both reports I read [Mirror, Mail] claim that Guimaraes do not expect to sell Bamba in January, but they both also add that this could change if a large enough offer comes in.

In fact, both pieces are nearly identical yet neither list a source for their information, so it’s not clear where it’s coming from.

Arsenal have been scouting Bamba while both Villarreal and Atalanta are also said to be interested. Apparently.