Arsenal in move for £6.5m Silva

Steve Stammers13 April 2012

Arsenal are poised to sign Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto Silva. If a fee can be agreed they will offer the 25-year-old midfielder a five-year deal.

Silva, valued at £6.5million by Atletico Mineiro, is wanted by manager Arsene Wenger to solve his midfield problems as Arsenal prepare to start the season without injured Robert Pires, Fredrik Ljungberg and Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Wenger had been expected to move for PSV Eindhoven's Mark van Bommel but he is reluctant pay the £14.5m demanded by the Dutch club.

Wenger was familiar with Silva before the World Cup but the Brazilian's performances in Japan and Korea enhanced his reputation. Silva's agent Angelo Pimental said: "We have received the offers and we are having talks."

The player, who is on holiday, has been kept informed about developments and said: "First of all, I want the clubs to reach an agreement so that I can then ask for what I think is fair in my contract."

He should have no problems settling in at Arsenal with compatriots Edu and Paulinho already at the club. Silva, who started his career with Vasco da Gama, has won 14 international caps and scored three times for Brazil.

Less than a week after Alex Manninger left to join Spanish club Espanyol, Arsenal could be on the verge of letting another goalkeeper go. According to Everton deputy chairman Bill Kenwright, negotiations to sign Richard Wright are at an "advanced stage".

Wright, 24, cost Arsenal £6m when he moved from Ipswich last summer but his first-team chances have been limited and David Seaman's decision to play on for at least one more season means his understudy may have to wait longer for a regular place.

Even when Seaman's shoulder injury played up last season, third-choice Stuart Taylor sometimes got the nod ahead of the former Ipswich keeper.

Kenwright said today: "I can confirm we are at an advanced stage of negotiations with Arsenal for the transfer of Richard Wright."

Everton hope to complete a deal before starting their pre-season tour of Scotland tomorrow. Arsenal fly out to Austria for a four-game trip later this week.

Wright's possible departure will increase speculation surrounding Wenger's reported interest in Turkey's World Cup goalkeeper Rustu Recber.

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