Gilberto advises team mate Bernard to move to Arsenal
August 10, 2013
Gilberto has apparently “advised” his Atletico Mineiro team mate Bernard to move to Arsenal.
I should think the deal probably rests upon huge sums of money being moved around rather than a recommendation from a team mate…
Atletico Mineiro have told Arsenal they can have play-maker Bernard for £25million after officially putting him up for sale.
The Brazilian outfit, who won the Copa Libertadores title this week, are already planning for life without the 20-year-old with the Gunners stepping up their interest.
Arsene Wenger is known to be a long-term fan of Bernard, who is rated as the next big star to come out of South America.
And according to Mineiro director Eduardo Maluf, all Arsenal need to do to bag him is make an offer of at least £25million.
‘The president has already made very clear, if an offer of £25million arrives, he is going to sell and we will buy another player,’ Maluf told Globo.
Arsenal will face some notable competition to pull the deal off, with Borussia Dortmund, Porto, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk also keen.
However, reports in Brazil suggest Bernard has privately set his heart on a move to Arsenal, having been advised by his Mineiro team-mate and Gunners legend Gilberto Silva.
The 5 foot 5 inch play-maker had revealed earlier this week that he was ready to take his time to decide his future, but added he had received an exciting offer from a Premier League side already.
Arsenal alerted as Atletico Mineiro put Bernard up for sale for £25million