Portuguese publication A Bola reported on Saturday morning that Arsenal delegates were going to fly to Portugal on Monday or Tuesday to complete a transfer for the 17-year-old winger, as covered by HITC Sport here.
However, The Daily Mail has claimed that the Gunners have made a U-turn on their decision to pursue the Portuguese winger.
It has been reported that the Premier League club have made the decision due to limited funds in their transfer kitty for this summer.
The report has further claimed that the winger will now sign a new contract with Sporting, although Barcelona and Juventus remain interested in the hugely talented teenager.
Smart decision?
Arsenal’s reported decision to abandon their pursuit of Joelson might be disappointing to some fans, but it could prove to be a smart decision.
After all, if the Gunners have limited funds, then it would make sense to sign established players who can make an immediate impact in the team.
True, Joelson is a prodigy and could develop into a world-class player in the coming years, but the 17-year-old might not be able to hit the ground running at the Gunners.
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