But official for the Brazilian club says youngster will be sold if €25m is offered.
Atletico Mineiro director Eduardo Maluf has cooled talk that Brazilian wonderkid Bernard is set to join Arsenal.
The 20-year-old playmaker is widely expected to leave his homeland after helping Atletico to win the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history.
Liverpool, Tottenham, Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and Borussia Dortmund have all been linked with the Selecao international, who was part of Brazil’s Confederations Cup winning squad last month.
But Arsenal are thought to be leading the chase of Bernard, with reports in French daily L’Equipe claiming the player was set for a medical in North London on Friday.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger denied the claims but the Frenchman reportedly sent a scout to watch Wednesday’s Libertadores final second-leg against Olimpia, in which Bernard grabbed a crucial assist.
But Maluf, a director at Atletico, has cooled talk of Bernard joining Arsenal.
“Arsenal already denied Bernard’s link. Bernard is a major player, but the president made it clear that if a team offers €25M, we’ll sell him,” Maluf told Brazilian source Esportes.
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