Wenger wants Brazilian Melo to replace Ramsey

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is eyeing Felipe Melo as a replacement for the injured Aaron Ramsey, according to the Guardian.  The Juventus defensive midfielder was targeted by Wenger last summer when he was with Fiorentina, but Melo opted instead for Juventus. However, reports now say that the Brazilian is "unsettled" at Juventus and looking to move on.

For Wenger the opportunity to snap up the 26-year-old Melo would be ideal, following the horrific leg break suffered by Ramsey against Stoke last Saturday. The Gunners' boss has been told there's money in the bank to spend and midfield is an area he knows needs strengthening at the Emirates.  "We were interested in Melo during the summer," confirmed Wenger. "We watched him in Brazil's international at the Emirates, against Italy [in February 2009], when he had an outstanding game. Then he went to Juventus and that team has struggled and certainly he has not had the season that everyone predicted he would. We still think he is a very talented player."

The Brazilian, who has won thirteen caps for his country, is no stranger to the transfer market, having been through eight clubs in the past nine years.

There may have been a significant development in the Cesc Fabregas transfer after the Daily Mail reported Real Madrid frontman Gonzalo Higuain snubbed a new contract from the Spanish club.

In January it was reported that Wenger would consider selling his captain to Madrid rather than Barcelona in the summer should Higuain move to the Emirates in return. The fact Higuain now wants out of the Bernabeu may prompt Real to offer him to Wenger and try to get one over on Barcelona as well by stealing Fabregas from under their noses.

Despite leading the Real scoring stakes this season with 16 goals, the 22-year-old Argentine feels he's not being rewarded for his efforts and his estimated £800,000-a-year salary – one of the lowest at the Bernabéu - has prompted Higuain to begin looking elsewhere.

Given his salary expectations, a more likely destination for Higuain could be Manchester City, which is the club he is linked to in the Mail.

The Sun says that Manchester United's Portuguese star Nani has advised Alex Ferguson to bring Sporting Lisbon's Miguel Veloso to Old Trafford as soon as possible. Veloso has been in sparkling form this season for Sporting and his goals helped them knock Everton out of the Europa Cup last week.

According to the paper, the midfielder has attracted interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal but compatriot Nani thinks the 23-year-old Veloso would be best served coming to Manchester. "I know him well because he was a team-mate of mine and I know he has the quality to play for a club like United," said Nani. "The football here is hard but he is someone who can do well at a big club. And I know he already has the opportunities to leave Sporting."

In other news, the Liverpool Echo says that the Reds' keeper Pep Reina has agreed terms over a new contract that will keep the 27-year-old Spanish international at Anfield until the end of the 2014-15 season. Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez had anxious to nail down a new deal with Reina, who arrived on Merseyside in 2005 from Villarreal, and has scooped three 'Golden Gloves' awards since then for the most clean sheets in a Premier League season. ·