Arsenal’s £3.5m deal for Wellington Silva in trouble

Arsenal are ready to roll out the red carpet for Brazilian wonderkid Wellington Silva, reports the Daily Mail, but the the 17-year-old's club Fluminense are not playing ball.

Silva is definitely on his way to the Emirates after a £3.5million deal was agreed between the Gunners and the Rio de Janeiro outfit, but he can't be registered as a Red until he turns 18, which means the transfer window of January 2011. Arsenal had expected to welcome the teenage striker then, but now Fluminense are asking Arsenal to wait until 2012 after Silva not only nailed down a spot in the starting XI but produced a series of wondrous displays to boot.

Fluminense's vice-president, Alcides Antunes, is quoted in the Mail as saying: "We know it will be difficult, but we are working on a way to make it happen," but Arsenal appear adamant that Silva signs up in January.

Certainly his Brazilian compatriot in North London, Denilson, can't wait to take him under his wing. He arrived at Arsenal as an 18-year-old in 2006 and says: "'Wellington has been here, to my house, and he knows that when he comes next year, we're waiting for him here, especially Eduardo and I, who are the Brazilians here. It is something that I've been through. When I arrived at Arsenal I was greeted well by Gilberto Silva and now it is my turn."

One current Gunner who appears unlikely to be around when Silva does put in an appearance at the Emirates is ageing defender William Gallas. The 32-year-old has been linked to a move to Roma and according to several reports the Italian club this week sent their "dealmaker" Daniele Prade to London to thrash out the fine print with the Arsenal board. Apparently Prade, Roma's sporting director, was at the Emirates on Tuesday, and while discussing Gallas's move he was privileged to see football of a quality most Italian clubs can only dream about.

But as Gallas contemplates seeing out the twilight of his career in the leisurely-pace of the Serie A, one Gunner pledging his future to the club is Emmanuel Eboue. The Ivorian star, who scored one of the goals against Porto, scotched once and for all any rumours that he might be thinking of leaving and also described Arsene Wenger as the 'Daddy'.

"I never said I wanted to move. I have got two more years with Arsenal and i feel very well here. I want to win something for the club because they have helped me a lot, so I want to win something for them. Wenger is always with us when we have a bad day so for me I think he is like our Daddy so we are all happy to play for him."

In other news the Mirror reports that Manchester City are "leading the chase" for Cardiff city prodigy Adam Matthews. The 18-year-old defender has been targeted by several Premier League outfits this season, including Manchester United, but now City are out in front of the face to sign the right-back. The paper says that City will "land the player in a £6m" deal this summer.

And the same paper says that the Manchester rivals are also on course to clash over Joe Cole. The unsettled Chelsea star is rumoured to be ready to leave Stamford Bridge after talks at thrashing out a new contract broke down. According to the Mirror City would be willing to meet the 28-year-old Cole's wage demands - £100,000-a-week – but United believe they will be able to entice Cole to Old Trafford with the promise of relaunching his fading career. Reds' boss Alex Ferguson, says the Mirror, "feels Cole has a great football brain" and reckons a new start at Old Trafford is just what the midfielder needs. ·