Arsenal eye Ajax's Chivu as Real Madrid target Samuel

Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a £15 million bid for Roma’s highly-rated defender Walter Samuel.

The La Liga giants were previously thought to be eyeing Ajax’s Christian Chivu, but the news that they have turned their attention to Argentinian international Samuel looks like clearing the way for Arsenal to make a bid for the Romanian sweeper in the Summer.

With Martin Keown reaching the end of his career, Pascal Cygan yet to impress and Matthew Upson sold to Birmingham, the need for a quality central defender is greater than ever at Highbury, and Chivu, a left-sided player with a mixture of skill, awareness and the requisite tough-tackling would undoubtedly complement Sol Campbell in the Gunners backline.

However, the possibility that Real will still try to land Chivu as well as Samuel remains, and Arsenal will still face stiff competition from other European giants in their bid to land one of the continent’s most highly-rated young players.