Premier League club Arsenal are set to face competition for the signature of Felipe Melo at Serie A side Fiorentina from another big unnamed European club, according to Felipe’s agent Jose Rodrigo Bastos.
Last week Viola chief Pantaleo Corvino revealed that Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is keen on the Brazilian wing-back, with a move for the former Gremio player being mooted when the transfer window opens in January to bring the versatile player to the Emirates Stadium.
25-year-old Felipe has only been at the Stadio Artemio Franchi since joining from La Liga side Almeria in the summer, but has attracted interest from the Premiership club with his performances in both Italy and the Champions League this season.
However, now Bastos has claimed that the Premiership club have a rival for the signature of Felipe, but did not disclose the name of the interested club, with Bastos also claiming that Fiorentina will have difficulty holding on to Felipe, despite the Brazilian being under contract at the Italian side until 2013.
Bastos said: “Felipe is one of the great names of European football. Fiorentina have already taken measures to upgrade the player's contract, which was scheduled for the third year.
“Apart from Arsenal, another power of European football has shown interest in Felipe and I believe that, if he continues to play at these big levels, Fiorentina will have difficulty in retaining him.”
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