Arsenal are scouting Porto forward Andre Silva as a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez

According to ESPN, Gunners scouts were present in order to watch the Portuguese international as Porto fell to a 2-0 loss against Juventus last night. Silva did not get on the scoresheet as Massimiliano Allegri’s men eased to a victory in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie.

Silva, who has been with Porto since the age of 15, has been in fine form this season and has picked up 18 goals and 7 assists in 33 appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese side, who are currently battling it out with Benfica for the Primeira Liga title.

The 21-year old is regarded as one of the best young players in Europe and has been attracting interest from some of the top clubs in Europe. Both Real Madrid and Chelsea have been linked with moves for the striker who has a €60 million release clause in his contract.

A pacy, technically gifted forward, Silva has good passing ability and is also renowned for his finishing ability – he currently has a shot accuracy rate of 55%. The youngster also tends to embark on long runs wits with the ball that often catches opposition defences cold.

Silva is a well rounded striker who contributes to the team effort as well. This season, he is registering an average of 1.20 key passes, 1.39 chances created and 0.82 successful takeons per 90 minutes in the Primeira Liga, according to Squawka.

Porto's forward Andre Silva controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match FC Porto vs Juventus at the Dragao stadium in Porto on February 22, 2017. / AFP / FRANCISCO LEONG (Photo credit should read FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images)
On the move? (Photo by FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images)

ESPN claim that Arsenal are scouting Silva as a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez, whose future grows uncertain with each passing day. The Chilean has been in negotiations over a new contract with the Gunners for several months now but there has apparently been no progress whatsoever on that front.

Arsenal’s interest in Silva is nothing new. The Gunners have already scouted the 21-year old in the past alongside his teammate Danilo Pereira, and have held a long-standing interest in the young striker.

However, they may face some competition for his signature as both Chelsea and Real Madrid have also been credited with an interest in the Portuguese international in the past and there are no doubt a lot of other clubs who are interested in signing the forward given his talent.

Silva’s clause of  €60 million could potentially be a sticking point for the Gunners, but should Alexis Sanchez leave there is no doubt they will be willing to invest a significant amount in the team to strengthen the squad and appease their fans.

Silva definitely fits the profile of the kind of players Arsenal like to sign. At 21, he has a lot of time to improve and has already shown he has the potential to excel at the top level. Should Sanchez leave, Arsenal could well make a move for the talented forward.

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