Arsenal and Man City to miss out on Dani Alves as right-back ‘agrees free transfer to Brazilian side Sao Paulo’

DANI ALVES is reportedly ready to return to Brazil and sign for Sao Paulo – ending Arsenal and Manchester City’s interest in him.

Unlike their European counterparts, the South American side offered Alves a three-year contract.

According to Goal, that has won the day in the fight for his signature.

They claim Alves has reached a verbal agreement with the team he supported as a boy.

And he will head to the city from his holiday base in Brazil in the coming days to seal the deal.

The right-back, 36, attracted a large group of admirers when leaving Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent in June.

Pep Guardiola was said to be keen on a reunion with his former Barcelona favourite and North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham were also in the mix.

Sun Sport reported that Alves was willing to take a pay cut to join the Gunners and it appears he has done so in the agreement with Sao Paulo.

The Tricolor were initially worried his demands would rule them out of the race but their long-term offer proved decisive.

In fact, Alves is far from the only big Brazilian name who headed to Europe, only to be lured back by the promise of a multi-year deal.

In March, former AC Milan and Chelsea forward Alexandre Pato arrived on a three-and-a-half year contract.

The most decorated footballer in history, Alves boasts a mega 40 winners’ medals in his 18-year career.

From his first trophy with Bahia in 2002 through the extravagant hauls claimed at Barcelona, Juventus and PSG, he still felt it necessary to recently advertise his services on Instagram.

Posing as a gardener and lifeguard, the defender poked fun at his employment situation – which hasn’t lasted for long.