Nantes submit offer for Sporting’s Paulo Oliveira

French club Nantes are looking to bolster their defences during the January transfer window.

Ligue 1 side have been struggling to gain firm footing during the first part of the 2016-2017 season in the top tier and are desperate to add quality to their back line which conceded no less than 26 goals in 18 rounds thus far.

Portugal media outlet Abola can reveal that Les Canaris have made Sporting defender Paulo Oliveira their top transfer target and that an offer worth €4.5 million has already been lodged in.

Sporting are demanding at least €6 million for the 25-year-old central midfielder, who failed to establish himself as the first option for the manager Jorge Jesus this season.

Paulo Oliveira managed only five minutes of action this season and is widely expected to leave the Portugal giants in order to gain regular first-team football elsewhere.

Oliveira has been with Sporting since 2013-14 and his arrival from Vitoria Guimaraes.