EPL: Arsenal plot move to snatch £52m Liverpool transfer target

UEFA Champions League finalists Arsenal have officially entered the race to sign Porto’s breakout midfielder Victor Froholdt, setting up a heavyweight summer transfer battle with Liverpool.

The 20-year-old only arrived in Portugal last summer in a £17.4m move from FC Copenhagen, but his rise has been meteoric.

Froholdt was the engine room for the Porto side that clinched the league title last weekend, contributing an impressive eight goals and seven assists from the middle of the park.

According to Danish outlet Bold, both Liverpool and Newcastle are showing "great interest" in the Denmark international.

However, The Times reports that Arsenal have now stepped up their scouting, though Porto are playing hardball over the price.

The Portuguese giants have reportedly told suitors that it will take a bid well in excess of £52m to even get them to negotiate, as the player still has four years left on his current deal and is protected by a massive £73m release clause.

For Arsenal and Liverpool, the attraction is clear. Froholdt has proven himself as a high-output box-to-box midfielder capable of delivering in a physical, high-intensity system.

Whether anyone is willing to trigger that eye-watering release clause remains to be seen, but the scramble for his signature is officially on.