Arsenal boosted as agent talks up £18.5m transfer

PORTO midfielder Giannelli Imbula is up for sale in January, according to his agent.

 



Giannelli Imbula is expected to leave Porto in January

 

Imbula left Marseille for Porto in July for a reported £15million, but the Portuguese club are now willing to sell the Frenchman.

The 23-year-old has started just eight of Porto’s Primeira Liga games this term after struggling to settle in Portugal.

 

Arsenal were heavily linked with a move for Imbula last summer and expected to make a return bid for his services before the transfer window closes.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has made no secret of his desire to sign a holding midfielder following injury to Francis Coquelin, but will have to spend £18.5m to land Imbula.

 

And his agent, Willy Ndangi, has fuelled talk of a move to the Emirates Stadium as he expects his client to leave Porto in the near future.

"We know that Porto want to sell Giannelli," Ndangi said. "At the moment we haven't had any contact with other clubs, but we could talk to some sides starting from Monday."