Calling all the usual suspects: William Carvalho unsure of his future

Let me start by saying that unlike Paul Pogba or Javi Martinez or Sami Khedira (to name the first three that popped into my mind), I'm not all that familiar with young William Carvalho.  He does have a last name that is revered around my household as one of the best to ever play the position.  Though that position is not the same as William's position.  But still, a Carvalho at Chelsea with Mourinho as the manager?  That's got a certain cosmic truthitude and planetary alignment thing going for it.

So, William Carvalho, midfielder of the defensive kind, moved to Portugal from Angola as an infant.  Now 22, he has represented Portugal at every age level and made his World Cup debut in the 2-2 draw with the USA.  By all accounts, he's had an excellent season in Portugal, anchoring second place Sporting CP.  Capable in both a two- and a three-man midfield, he was described to me as 'kind of young Essien-y' after Graham first brought him up around the time the David Luiz sale rumors hit critical mass.

So, the point is he is good, probably more than good, and built like he means business.  What's gotten most of Europe to take further notice were his comments following Portugal's 2-1 win over Ghana (the US Men's National Team's second win over Ghana in the space of one World Cup!).

[Staying at Sporting?] "I do not know, I'm going [back] to Portugal now and then [we'll see]."

-William Carvalho; source: MaisFutebol via Google Translate

Certainly keeping his options open to be the next big money move out of the Portuguese league then.

His buyout clause is a head-turning €45m, at which price only the usual suspects could possibly afford him.  Manchester United had been linked with a £30m bid before the Ander Herrera business went down and possibly cooled any such interest.  Other names put forward as front runners include Real Madrid, Juventus (Vidal/Pogba replacement, surely, if it happens), Monaco, Arsenal, and, now Chelsea.  Surprised PSG aren't there yet.

Last summer we had some fun in getting involved in Bruma's insane transfer from Sporting to (eventually) Galatasaray -- including rumors of kidnapping and even a court case -- so hopefully whoever ends up with William Carvalho doesn't have to go through that much drama.  I doubt that'll be us, as the links with Chelsea seem pure speculation, but it might be worth it just for the perpetual Willian-William confusion.