Barcelona prepare offer to stop Arsenal from signing their 'new Patrick Vieira'

Barcelona are said to be preparing an offer for Lille and Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches.

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Barcelona want to beat Arsenal and Liverpool to Lille midfielder Renato Sanches, according to reports. The two Premier League sides are believed to be among those at the front of the queue for the Portuguese international, who caught the eye to put his face back in the shop window at Euro 2020.

It was five years ago that Sanches first burst onto the scene as he starred for Portugal at Euro 2016 in France.

He earned a big-money move to Bayern Munich but things failed to work out for the all-action midfielder, who eventually joined Lille following a loan spell at Swansea in the 2017/18 season.

Sanches has since rebuilt his confidence and is starting to show signs of fulfilling his potential after helping Lille win the Ligue 1 title.

Arsenal and Liverpool are both drawn to the midfielder but are yet to make a bid for his services.

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Barcelona are ready to rival Arsenal for Renato Sanches (Image: GETTY)

Now journalist Duncan Castles claims Barcelona are looking to swoop in and secure a deal for the 23-year-old, despite their financial problems.

He said on the Transfer Window Podcast: "My information is that Barcelona are trying to structure a deal that would allow them to sign Renato Sanches.

"It's obviously going to be difficult. They've got huge problems in terms of getting players off the books at present.

"They want someone of his type having lost out of Gini Wijnaldum. Probably they're going to structure a loan deal with an obligation to buy."

Arsenal have emerged as serious contenders for Sanches in the past few days with the midfielder on the club's shortlist if they cannot land James Maddison.

Mikel Arteta wants to add more quality to his midfield and in some quarters, there is a feeling that Sanches can provide Arsenal with similar qualities on the field to former captain Patrick Vieira.

On the club's website, the Frenchman is remembered and lauded for his ability to drive with the ball in the middle of the park, a key feature of Sanches' game.

"But what made Vieira special was that his graft came hand in hand with craft. The composure and quality of his passing meant that, as well as quelling the threat of the opposition, Patrick became a vital cog in Wenger’s forward-thrusting machine," Arsenal's website reads.

"There were few more graceful sights in football than Vieira holding off an opponent in a congested midfield before flicking the ball over his head and racing away downfield to spark another Arsenal attack.”

Barcelona are reportedly preparing a loan offer for Renato Sanches with obligation to buy (Image: GETTY)

Coincidentally, the new Crystal Palace boss has already given his seal of approval on the midfielder, who Vieira knows well from his time managing Nice last season.

"He was a big prospect," Vieira told ITV while working at this summer's European Championships.

"Everybody was waiting for him to be one of the top young players for the future. He moved to Bayern Munich where he has a very difficult period.

"I don’t think it was the right place for him to keep developing. But last year with Lille, he did really well. He wasn’t really consistent during the season, but he had some flashes of his talent."

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