Arsenal transfer news: Real Madrid set to beat Gunners to Porto striker Andre Silva
Arsenal looking to sign striker this month but have been blown away by Spanish giants' £50million bid for Porto youngster
REAL MADRID are set to hand Arsenal a fresh transfer blow by snatching Porto striker Andre Silva from under their noses.
The European champions are ready to shell out a staggering £50million for the Portuguese international, meaning the Gunners will lose out on a striker for the second time in a matter of days.
Spanish media outlet AS has reported Los Blancos are in pole position to sign the 21-year-old starlet, ahead of Arsenal who were preparing a £25million bid.
The news of Silva moving to Spain is just the latest blow for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. Serie A side Torino claimed they rejected Arsenal's incredible £55million bid for striker Andrea Belotti who has a reported buyout clause of £85million.
Silva has justified the hype around him this season scoring 18 goals in 26 appearances for club and country, as Porto trail league leaders Benfica by six points.
Porto boss Nuno Espirito Santos will be keen to hold on to this top scorer to give them a chance of closing the gap on Benfica and getting past Juventus in the knockout stages of the Champions League next month.
Wenger hopes to bolster his squad this month as the Londoners look to mount a challenge on three fronts in the second half of the season.
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Arsenal are still in the hunt for the Premier League, the FA Cup and will face the daunting task of trying to get past Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League next month.