Arsenal sent representatives to watch Sporting Lisbon goalkeeper Rui Patricio as they consider making an improved offer during the summer transfer window.

Portuguese newspaper A Bola believe that Arsenal had already approached the club with an initial offer of €10m which was immediately turned down by the Sporting management, who are holding out for a more significant offer.

Rui Patricio
Rui Patricio's excellent displays for Sporting have made him the number one for Portugal. [Reuters]

Patricio has been the number one at Sporting for the last six seasons after coming through the famed youth academy. He has firmly established himself as first choice for Portugal and helped Paulo Bento's side reach the semi-finals of Euro 2012.

Arsenal have been linked with numerous goalkeepers over the last few months after a season in which manager Arsene Wenger has continually rotated his final line of defence. Neither Lukasz Fabianki or Wojiech Szczesny have nailed down a regular place and there is a feeling a new stopper will arrive in the summer.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with Liverpool's Pepe Reina and Barcelona star Victor Valdes, but is seems they may well have turned their attention to Sporting's Patricio.

A Bola states that a representative from Arsenal was on hand to see Sporting secure a 1-0 win over Olhanense on Saturday and were said to have been impressed as Patricio pulled off a particularly impressive save with just minutes remaining in the game.

Sporting would reportedly hope to receive an offer in the region of €15m but they may have to accept less as they are currently struggling financially and have repeatedly been forced to sell their best players.

Star striker Rickie van Wolfswinkel has already signed a deal to join Norwich for next season after Sporting found an offer of £8.5m simply too good to turn down.

Arsenal are expected to spend heavily in the summer after another season without a trophy and it seems an experienced goalkeeper is high on the list of priorities.

With Sporting languishing in seventh place this season, the chance for Patricio to move to a Premier League club that has consistently played in the Champions League for more than a decade may well be hard to turn down.

Portugal