Arsenal to raise Sevilla stakes

By European Football
July 7 2005

Arsenal are getting set to raise the stakes in their bid to tempt Sevilla t part with Julio Baptista. They opened the bargaining last week with a bid for €12million, which was promptly turned down by Sevilla.

But now they are prepared to return with an improved €15million offer, to try to tempt Sevilla into parting with the player nicknamed the Beast.

Sevilla risk losing the player and having the price set by a tribunal, next summer and they are well aware of this, and that could force their hand into parting with a player they really would rather not lose.