Arsenal transfer rumour: Gunners rekindle interest in signing William Carvalho in January to ease injury crisis

Arsenal are preparing to rekindle their interest in signing Sporting midfielder William Carvalho in January. The 23-year-old was linked with a move to the Emirates in the summer, only for it to not take shape after he suffered a stress fracture in his tibia in July.

Arsene Wenger is already without his key players as Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla until the start of the next year, while Mikel Arteta and Jack Wilshere are also on the sidelines. The injury crisis at the north London club, especially in the central midfield position has forced the Frenchman to enter the market.

The Telegraph reports Arsenal are considering an approach for the Portuguese international in the mid-season transfer window to bolster their midfield for the second half of the 2015/16 season as they look to challenge for the title.

Carvalho has a £35m ($52.9m) release clause in his contract and the Gunners remain hopeful a bid of £25m ($37.8m) would see them land him at the start of a new year. Sporting are on top of the league table and are unlikely to sanction the sale of their star player in January.

A move to the Premier League could tempt the midfielder after he publicly expressed his admiration for Arsenal. Carvalho issued a come-and-get-me plea after admitting he has always been fond of the Gunners.

"I am where I want to be right now, which is Sporting, but if I ever do leave then it's a sign that my work here was well done. I dream of winning the Primeira Liga here," Goal.com quoted Carvalho as saying.

"I prefer not to say too much, but there is a club with which I've always been fond of: Arsenal. Because of Thierry Henry, a player with whom I have always enjoyed watching. Maybe this is why I look with so much affection to the Premier League."