Arsenal ‘dealt blow in pursuit for Tiago Tomas with Sporting Lisbon reluctant to sell £20m star’

Arsenal ‘are dealt a blow in their pursuit of Tiago Tomas, with Sporting Lisbon reluctant to sell the £20m-rated star to a club without European football next season’ after guaranteeing themselves a  Champions League spot

  • Sportsmail reported in February that Arsenal reportedly wanted to sign Tomas
  • The promising 18-year-old forward has a release clause of £52million at the club
  • It was previously understood that Sporting might accept a bid of around £20m 
  • But the deal has now ‘been thrown into doubt’ after Arsenal’s eighth-place finish 


Arsenal have reportedly been dealt a blow in their attempted transfer pursuit of Sporting Lisbon’s Tiago Tomas, with their failure to qualify for European football said to be a factor.

Mikel Arteta‘s side have been in negotiations for months trying to sign the £20million-rated promising striker from the Portuguese title winners.

But according to the Sun, finishing eighth in the Premier League – even missing out on the Europa Conference League – means Arsenal are now less likely to get a deal over the line for 18-year-old Tomas.

Arsenal are reportedly less likely to sign Sporting Lisbon forward Tiago Tomas (pictured above)

The talented teenager helped Sporting win the Primeira Liga, the Portuguese domestic title, this season, meaning the club have qualified for Champions League football next campaign

The talented teenager helped Sporting win the Primeira Liga, the Portuguese domestic title, this season, meaning the club have qualified for Champions League football next campaign

Arsenal’s failure to attain European football next season is reportedly a hindrance to the move

The talented teenager only made his professional debut last July but has since become a fully-fledged member of the first-team squad for Ruben Amorim’s side.

He has scored three league goals in 16 starts this year, including the winner against Aberdeen in the Europa League, and is now viewed as one of the brightest young prospects on the continent.

Sportsmail reported back in February that Arsenal were thought to be in pole position to sign the forward, with Gunners technical director Edu working on a deal.

The 18-year-old made his senior debut last season and is already a fixture in Sporting's side

The 18-year-old made his senior debut last season and is already a fixture in Sporting’s side

Tomas scored his first senior goal against Aberdeen in the Europa League in September

Tomas scored his first senior goal against Aberdeen in the Europa League in September 

Tomas signed a five-year contract before his debut in July which contained a release clause of £52m, but the club were expected to accept a lower bid of circa £20m due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, the Lions’ position is stronger this summer, after a domestic Primeira Liga title – their first in almost two decades, breaking the dominant 19-year duopoly of Porto and Benfica – means they will qualify for next season’s Champions League. 

Staying at Sporting might therefore be a more attractive prospect, at least in the short term, with the club understood to want to keep the majority of their title-winning squad together.