Arsenal are believed to be one of the clubs looking at Everton's versatile Portuguese international defender Abel Xavier. The 29-year-old will be out of contract in the summer.

Benfica and Sporting Lisbon are keen to take him back to Portugal, and several clubs in Spain and Italy have also registered an interest.

Liverpool and Arsenal head the English part of the queue, according to Soccernet.

Everton have offered Xavier an extension with a relatively low basic wage to be topped up by appearance money, but he has turned it down.

Rupe adds...
Despite being used infrequently by Walter Smith at Goodison, Xavier has managed to stay a regular in the excellent Portuguese national team. He is particularly remembered for his exciting hair arrangements, and for having gone a bit crazy at the end of the France-Portugal Euro 2000 semi final.

Headline writers are already preparing their "Abel, Seaman" gags. I expect.