Atlético Mineiro has rejected a €16 million bid from Premier League outfit Arsenal according to reports in Brazil.
O Jogo suggests that a bid has been lodged by the Gunners for the highly-rated attacker but was immediately turned down as it did not meet Atlético’s valuation of €25m.
Eduardo Maluf earlier denied reports that a fee had been agreed and that Bernard was due for a medical in London.
“We have not had a proposal for the player which meets the president’s value. But we have had proposals, Bernard is very popular, but this squad will continue for now,” Maluf told reporters.
“Every day we have to disprove rumours. Here comes a newspaper from France, which gives all the details of the negotiation, but Bernard was present today, and Bernard is here training.
“The president has made it clear: if we have a great offer, he will be sold and you will know. But he plays for Atlético-MG and this speculation has been going for months.”
The youngster helped his side clinch their first Copa Libertadores triumph on Thursday and it is expected that he has played his last game for the club.
According to L’Equipe earlier this week, Arsenal had agreed a deal to sign the midfielder but manager Arsene Wenger dismissed the reports as simply “not true” and a medical has failed to arise so far.
