Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all reportedly interested in signing Benfica youngster Joao Carvalho in the summer.
The London Evening Standard have reported that Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all monitoring the progress of Joao Carvalho, and are set for a three-way battle for the on-loan Benfica midfielder.
Joao Carvalho is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who is rated as one of the most exciting young prospects in Portuguese football. He has made rapid strides in the Benfica youth setup, and has also represented Portugal at every level up to under-21s, notching up four appearances for the side.
This season, though, Carvalho has been sent on loan to Benfica’s fellow Liga NOS club, Vitoria Setubal, where he has continued to impress further. And while he has only recently broken into their first team, making four appearances in the process, he has made a mark at the youth level for the club.
The teenage prodigy has found the back of the net seven times while providing three assists in 21 games in the Ledman Liga Pro and the UEFA Youth League, scoring a goal every 253 minutes, and showing signs of promise with his versatility and eye for goal.
His performances in the youth ranks over the years have certainly not gone unnoticed, with several Premier League clubs reported to have scouted Carvalho. Of these, the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham seem to be showing the most interest, with the clubs’ representatives present to watch Carvalho against Braga recently.
Tottenham, according to the report, are the most eager of the three clubs to make a move for Carvalho in the summer, and with the North London club also tracking the likes of Fode Ballo-Toure and Nadiem Amiri, among others, a youth revolution may be underway at White Hart Lane.
Carvalho, though, still has a long way to go before he becomes a finished article, and it is unlikely that he will be integrated straight into the first team setup at any of these clubs, if they do manage to sign him in the summer. However, if the teenager continues to develop at his current rate, a first team debut won’t be far away.
It remains to be seen if any of the three aforementioned clubs do make a move for Carvalho in the summer now, and if they are joined in his pursuit by any other outfit.
