Arsenal have reportedly registered their interest in 29-year-old Real Betis midfielder William Carvalho, with Mikel Arteta eyeing January reinforcements.
According to a report from Fichajes, Arsenal are in the market for William Carvalho. Mikel Arteta is apparently looking for a new midfielder who can provide cover for Thomas Partey during the second half of the campaign, with the Real Betis star emerging as an ideal option.
Carvalho has never really managed to live up to the expectations since making an eye-catching move to Betis in 2018. But in recent years, the Portuguese international established himself as a core member of the team, under the leadership of Manuel Pellegrini.
Indeed, the 29-year-old midfielder has been involved in seven matches in La Liga so far, playing a vital role in Pellegrini’s rotation policy. He is currently competing with Guido Rodriguez in the Betis midfield, helping the former Manchester City manager shuffle his pack and keep his troops fresh amid the gruelling fixture list.
Arsenal are aiming for a similar role for Carvalho as they look to snap him up in the upcoming January transfer window. It is evident that the Gunners are lacking quality depth in their midfield unit, especially due to Granit Xhaka’s long-term injury while the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have been on the fringes lately.
The team’s star player Thomas Partey has not enjoyed a successful spell at the Emirates either, although the signs of a turnaround have been appearing lately. As a result, Arsenal are now looking for midfield reinforcements in January. They are, in fact, one of the clubs in contention to sign Brighton & Hove Albion starlet Yves Bissouma, although it appears Liverpool are leading the chase.
Not to mention, the Malian international is expected to cost a fortune. William Carvalho, to that end, could be a cost-effective alternative, who is not only capable of competing with Partey in midfield also brings a lot of experience at the highest level of football.
During his three-and-a-half-year spell at Betis, Carvalho has already featured in almost 100 competitive matches for the club while also having 69 caps to his name, with the Portuguese national side. His pedigree at the top level could be useful in guiding Arsenal into the new era as well as adding that much-needed depth in the midfield department.
However, it remains to be seen whether Arsenal would require offloading Galatasaray target Mohamed Elneny in order to sanction a move for William Carvalho. Real Betis themselves will be keen on keeping hold of their star midfielder, given how Pellegrini values the 29-year-old role in the team.
