Exclusive: Chelsea and Arsenal both keeping very close eye on 'special' £42m striker from overseas

Yesterday at 08:15 AM

TBR Football exclusively understands that Danish international Conrad Harder is emerging as an option for both Chelsea and Arsenal.

Of late, most top Premier League sides have been linked with a move for Viktor Gyokeres, a striker who could potentially excel at Chelsea or Arsenal. 

Now, it's Gyokeres' 19-year-old Sporting CP teammate, Harder, who is on the radar of multiple Premier League sides.

Harder was signed by the Portuguese giants last summer as a replacement for Gyokeres, who is widely expected to leave this summer. 

Sporting have been delighted with Harder, and the club have long felt that they had Gyokeres' replacement in place.

Sporting CP striker Conrad Harder on radar of Chelsea and Arsenal

However, TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey can reveal that Harder himself is a real player of interest to a number of the clubs who think that the teenager can potentially be 'special'.

Chelsea are very much in the market for a new forward and have been doing extensive work on potential targets that could be available.

READ MORE: Brighton open talks to steal £25m signing ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea

As a result, Chelsea are looking closely at Harder as an option, even for this month.

Enzo Maresca's side wants to add at least one new striker to their attacking pool in the next six months.

But Chelsea are not the only side who believe that the Denmark under-21 international is a big talent.

Arsenal and West Ham are also keeping close tabs on the situation, should Sporting be open to his departure.

TBR understands that it could take a bid of around €50m (£42m) in order to sign Harder, who has a release clause of €80m inserted in his contract. 

Ruben Amorim talks up Conrad Harder’s potential

Of course, Harder was previously playing under Ruben Amorim's stewardship at Sporting, who has now made the switch to Manchester United.

Speaking back in September via CNN, shortly after Harder had arrived from Denmark, Amorim discussed the striker's potential, suggesting that there was a lot more to come from the 19-year-old.

Amorim said: "Conrad hasn't had much training yet, but he was very aggressive and scored a good goal and provided an assist.

"Against low blocks, playing with Viktor and Conrad, we have two very strong players coming out on the counterattack.

"I think he had a good game, but I think he is still at 50 percent of what he can do."