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Mark this down on your calendars. December 3, 2015: our first credible Arsenal transfer rumor of the January 2016 window. Jeremy Wilson of the Telegraph is reporting that Arsenal will target Sporting Lisbon's William Carvalho in January.
Wilson sets Carvalho's release clause fee at £35 million, but notes that it is believed that a fee of £25 million might be enough to pry him away.
Wilson does note that the ability to do a big deal in January is limited, so Arsenal is also pursuing other options, including loan possibilities. Lars Bender is mentioned as a long-term Arsenal target, but considering he is out until at least the New Year he...well, actually he kind of sounds like the perfect Arsenal transfer target.
Other than the Ornacle from the BBC, Wilson is about as reliable an Arsenal journo as is currently working. His note about a belief that Carvalho could be bought for less than his release fee does seem pretty typical of the club. It is certainly a situation to keep an eye on as Arsenal are sure to move quickly (I mean, surely, right?) in the transfer window to fill the voids in central midfield due to the ligament damage suffered by Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla.