Fiorentina are willing to negotiate the sale of
Felipe Melo to Arsenal - with Emmanuel Eboue involved in a
potential swap deal.
Brazil international Melo had been strongly linked with
the Gunners only to put pen to paper on a contract extension at the
Viola on June 30.
A buy-out clause, said to be €25million (£21.4m), has been
included in Melo's new deal and recent reports have suggested
Juventus could match that fee.
However, Fiorentina have claimed Arsenal remain the only side to
have made an offer that comes close to activating the midfielder's
sale clause.
A statement on the club's official website read: "Fiorentina
sporting director Pantaleo Corvino, in denying the transfer rumours
of the past few hours, which sees Felipe Melo definitely at other
clubs and reporting potential meetings to finalise the transfer of
the player, underlines the following:
"In case the footballer has already reached an agreement with
any club, the release clause fixed with the player himself is
€25million. We would not contemplate any exchange, unless it is to
the liking of Fiorentina.
"Arsenal is the only club to have come close to the sum
established by the release clause.
"Fiorentina in turn proposed to the aforementioned club a
reduction in the amount set by the release clause by including
right-back (Emmanuel) Eboue in the deal."
Eboue, who signed for the Gunners from Beveren in 2005, has
recently grown unsettled at Emirates Stadium and has not ruled out
an exit.
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