Arsenal Expected To Bid For Benfica Full-Back

Arsenal are expected to table an offer in the region of €7 million for Benfica’s Alex Grimaldo, according to Jornal de Noticias.

The Gunners have reportedly been in the market in search of cover for the oft-injured left-back Kieran Tierney.

Reports have seen the North Londoners linked to the likes of Aaron Hickey, now officially a Brentford player.

Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez has also been heavily linked, but is high on Manchester United’s shopping list for the summer.

With Martinez said to be edging closer to a move to Old Trafford, Mikel Arteta’s men have been forced to switch their focus to other targets.

As per Jornal de Noticias, Spanish wing-back Grimaldo is the next player on Arsenal’s shortlist, with the Premier League club already making contact with the Portuguese side.

The Portuguese newspaper claims talks between the two clubs have picked up and the Gunners are now ready to make their move with a €7 million bid.

Arsenal’s offer is said to appeal to Benfica, who are likely to accept and cash in on the left-back, previously linked to the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City.

Grimaldo’s current contact with the Estádio da Luz outfit expires at the end of the 2022/23 season, with the player showing no signs of pursuing an extension.

As the Spain international angles for a move away from Lisbon, Benfica already have a replacement in sight in the form of Borussia Dortmund man Raphaël Guerreiro.

The French-born Portuguese defender finds himself in a similar predicament in Germany, unwilling to put pen to paper on a new contract to overwrite current terms, expiring at the end of the season.

As Benfica make their move, the invitation has been made for Arsenal to enter negotiations for Grimaldo.

In a move that would see the La Masia graduate reunited with Nuno Tavares, also signed last season from Benfica, the move could open the door for the Portuguese man’s exit.

Interestingly, the two left backs share a frosty history after Tavares was forced to apologise on behalf of his barber, directing support to the Atalanta target by insulting Grimaldo in an Instagram video.

Tavares’ barber bemoaned the Benfica product’s lack of play time behind a main-stay Grimaldo, with the current Arsenal man following up with:

“If I don’t star at Benfica, I’ll star elsewhere.”

The 22-year-old joined the Gunners just a month after the public outburst, but could now be joined by his former team-mate just 12 months later.

At the age of 26, Grimaldo holds 162 league appearances to his name, as well as 14 Primeira Liga goals and 40 assists since joining Benfica in 2016.