Why Arsenal shouldn’t be scared away by his £22m price-tag

Every summer there seems to be a young Brazilian ace on the market, providing temptation for the European elite. Whether it’s Chelsea’s chase for Oscar, Manchester United on the hunt for Lucas Moura, or Liverpool swooping in for Philippe Coutinho (admittedly this happened in January), the Premier League just can’t seem to say no to South American talent.

The most recent Brazilian youngster to pique the interest of clubs throughout Europe is the laughably named, ‘Bernard’.

According to The Mail, Arsenal were forerunners for the 20-year-old play-maker. Unsurprisingly, however, the Gunners have been put off by his £22m price-tag.

Arsenal fans must be used to this situation by now. They’ve let deals slip for both Stevan Jovetic and Gonzalo Higuain, because they’re unwilling to meet other club’s valuations for their players. The Luis Suarez saga has also been a telling showcase for the Gunners’ tight-fisted nature in the transfer market.

Despite Bernard’s potential, the Gunners seem to have lost interest. As this has happened, Porto’s interest in the youngster seems to be heating up. Bernard’s father, Delio Duarte recently told the Press that he had spoken to fellow Brazil star, Hulk, who gave him the following advice

“Hulk has convinced Bernard that Porto would be better for him at this stage of his career.

Porto would be a better move for his career. It would be a dream of mine to see him playing for them.”

Porto? Really? With all due respect, the Primeira Liga is usually nothing more than a two-or-three horse race, and the quality of clubs below the top four leaves a lot to be desired. If Bernard wants to improve as a footballer, he’d be better suited to the Premier League, where you get a tough game each and every week.

His dad and a fellow Brazilian international are sure to exert a lot of influence on young Bernard. I just hope they don’t lead him astray.

If Arsenal are still interested, they would be a perfect fit. They value young, technically gifted players above all else. Arsene Wenger is also patient and knows how to get the best out of developing stars.