Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly battling to sign Porto midfielder Vitinha this summer.
Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey impressed in patches last season, whilst Mohamed Elneny also stepped up when called upon towards the end of the campaign. However, there was little depth, and with the demands of European football on the horizon, some increased competition at the Emirates Stadium would be healthy.
It's clear at this point that the Gunners' predominant target in the middle of the park is Leicester City's Youri Tielemans. The Belgian has admitted that leaving Leicester City this summer isn't out of the question. When asked if he could leave the King Power this summer, the talented playmaker said, via The Daily Mail: "That is not out of the question. I feel very good at Leicester, I was welcomed with open arms from day one.
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"I give everything for the club until the last day. But of course you have to listen to other opportunities, you have to look at your career, and sometimes you have to make choices. Maybe one will come my way."
Now, according to Record in Portugal, as cited by The Boot Room, Arsenal and United are battling to sign Porto midfielder Vitinha this summer. The 22-year-old is not a complete stranger to English football. He spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers but only played 22 times for Wolves in all competitions.
He's an exciting talent, and somebody Portugal legend Deco, Vitinha's agent, rates highly. Speaking to A Bola earlier this year, the former Chelsea and Barcelona midfielder said: "He is a remarkable footballer. (Vitinha) shows enormous maturity despite being very young. He reads the game like no one else. When he manages to combine all these qualities, he makes Porto unstoppable. Always setting the rhythm."
Vitinha will undoubtedly improve either Arsenal or United's midfield options but there's a long way to go as things stand.
