Arsenal to hijack Moutinho’s Everton transfer?

Sporting captain remains top target of Liverpool club

Joao Moutinho’s continuation at Sporting remains very much in the balance.

It has emerged over the last 24 hours that Everton still have the Portugal midfielder as their number one target, but their pretensions to take him to Goodison Park may be scuppered by Premiership rivals Arsenal.

It is well documented that Everton boss David Moyes is desperate to contract the 21-year-old, with an initial 15m euro bid already having been rejected by the Lisbon club. Moutinho has a 25m euro buyout clause, and the club insist their captain will not be sold for any less.

The Toffees are thought to be unwilling to pay that price, especially as the proposed transfer of Andy Johnson to Fulham for a hefty fee appears to have broken down. And fellow Premier League team Arsenal are now reported to be lining up a deal to buy Moutinho from under Everton’s noses.

Joao Moutinho PortuGOAL profile

Arsene Wenger would like to strengthen Arsenal’s midfield and he is well versed in Moutinho’s qualities having watched the midfield dynamo several times in recent seasons. The French coach is a fan of his versatility and neat passing ability – qualities that suit the Arsenal style.

But Everton chairman Bill Kenwright has made no attempt to hide the fact that his club are still very much in the running for Moutinho. “That is one of the ones you can believe in the papers. He is one of his Moyes’s major targets,” said Kenwright of Moutinho.

Sporting themselves are trying to convince Moutinho to remain in Lisbon for at least one more season, but the player has publicly admitted he would like to make a move abroad this summer, incurring the wrath of sections of the Sporting crowd for doing so in last week’s friendly against PSV Eindhoven.