Arsenal are chasing the signature of Porto midfielder Hector Herrera, with a view to securing his services for free in the summer.
According to Tuttomercato, the 28-year-old’s current contract at the Estadio Do Dragao is due to expire at the end of the season, at which point he will become available on a free transfer.
The Mexican superstar is able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any potential suitors during the January window and as Tuttomercato reports, Arsenal are among the frontrunners.
AS Roma, Inter Milan and Wolves have all reportedly expressed an interest in Herrera, with Sevilla and Atletico Madrid also monitoring his situation closely from Spain.
Tuttomercato states that the Porto stalwart’s future is likely to be based on who offers him the best pay packet, which might mean that Arsenal have to weigh up the pros and cons of a potentially sizeable investment.
Herrera is something of a midfield general, a tenacious and committed player with an aggressive streak and a penchant for breaking up play in the middle of the park before driving his team forward.
Lucas Torreira has been a huge success at Emirates Stadium since his switch from Sampdoria during pre-season and Herrera is a player cut from the same cloth, meaning Emery could add extra steel to his starting XI by completing a deal.
The Gunners are hoping to secure qualification for the Champions League next season over the next few months, but they are still a work in progress – vulnerable at the back and still not functioning efficiently from top to bottom as a team.
Emery’s project will take time and a couple of shrewd signings could help speed up the process, with Herrera falling firmly into that bracket, especially as the club will not have to fork out a fee to land him.
