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According to sources in the Portuguese media, Arsenal has been monitoring Sporting Lisbon winger Joelson Fernandes' contract situation at the Portuguese club and is set to place a bid for the talented youngster in the upcoming transfer window.
Arsenal has not impressed its passionate fanbase this season but Mikel Arteta is determined to make amends next season and has already begun planning a squad overhaul. The Gunners do not have all their bases covered at the moment and this transfer window will be crucial in determining Arsenal's fortunes next season.
The Gunners have improved since Mikel Arteta's appointment and while the results have been fairly erratic, many of the club's youngsters have made progress under the Spaniard.
Joelson Fernandes currently has a £41 million release clause at Sporting Lisbon and Arsenal may decide to pay the amount this summer to secure the Portuguese talent's signing.
Arsenal may sign youngster Joelson Fernandes this summer
Joelson Fernandes is one of the brightest young talents in Portugal and has been repeatedly compared to Cristiano Ronaldo for his performances and style of play. Cristiano Ronaldo also started his career at Sporting Lisbon before being picked up by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United.
Cristiano Ronaldo was sensational for the Portuguese side in his early years and was the youngest player to represent the Iberian giants until Joelson Fernandes came on to the scene.
At 17 years of age, Joelson Fernandes is currently the youngest player to represent Sporting Lisbon in the top tier of Portuguese football. Arsenal has been tracking the youngster for the past few months and will make a move in the upcoming transfer window.
Arsenal has largely had a disappointing season and former manager Unai Emery was sacked midway through the season after a tenure riddled with controversies. The Gunners hired Mikel Arteta to salvage their season and the former assistant to Pep Guardiola has done a commendable job so far.
While Arsenal's standing in the league has not improved considerably, Arteta has taken the side to the semi-final of the FA Cup and has improved the team's general style of play.
The likes of Bukayo Saka and Kieran Tierney have become mainstays in Arsenal's starting eleven since the appointment of Mikel Arteta and are set to become leaders of the club for years to come.
Mikel Arteta's impressive track record with the younger members of Arsenal's squad bodes well for Sporting Lisbon's prodigious forward. Joelson Fernandes has plenty of raw talent that can still be harnessed by a tactful manager and Mikel Arteta may well be the perfect person for the job.
Arsenal is currently running high on confidence after a surprising 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Premier League. The Gunners will have to play out of their skins to defeat Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final later today.
