Arsenal are now set to beat rivals Chelsea to the signature of a young defender who’s receiving rave reviews in his home nation, according to a recent report.
Gunners hunting down Liverpool
The Gunners’ 5-1 victory against Manchester City on Sunday was a real statement, but they are still trailing the league leaders by six points, with the Merseyside club also having a game in hand.
As such, it will be a difficult task for Mikel Arteta’s side to win the Premier League title from this position, particularly considering they didn’t strengthen during the January transfer window, ultimately missing out on a striker despite widespread links.
Arteta will continue to assess potential targets between now and the end of the season, and there has now been a promising development on the pursuit of a young defender who’s also wanted by Chelsea.
Arsenal have struck gold on "special" star who's a bigger talent than Tel
Arsenal have hit the jackpot on a certain teenager who is shining this season
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According to a report from Caught Offside, the Blues had been planning to sign Santos left-back Joao Victor de Souza, having scouted him for quite some time, but Arsenal are now in a strong position to win the race for his signature.
The west Londoners have developed a habit of signing young prospects before loaning them out to Strasbourg immediately, which De Souza has taken issue with. The 18-year-old and his agent have been left unimpressed by Chelsea’s plans for his future, and the Gunners are set to take full advantage by swooping in and getting a deal done.
The left-back has become known as the “new Marcelo”, having made a name for himself due to his attacking and defensive abilities, and it looks as though the north Londoners are poised to get a deal done.
Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League fixtures
Date
Leicester City (a)
February 15th
West Ham United (h)
February 22nd
Nottingham Forest (a)
February 26th
Manchester United (a)
March 9th
Chelsea (h)
March 16th
Promising news for Arsenal
In the report, it is made clear the starlet wants to move to Europe and emulate the likes of Ronaldinho and Neymar, so he certainly has lofty ambitions for his future.
Despite his age, the Brazilian has already managed to force his way into the first-team at Santos, making 13 appearances and showcasing his attacking prowess by providing two assists. It is too early to say whether De Souza will go on to be a long-term success at the Emirates Stadium, but it is certainly good news that Arsenal are in a strong position to beat their rivals to his signature.
At this point, it is not a surprise either, given that Chelsea have developed a reputation for hoarding young players without providing them with a path into the first team.
The Gunners, on the other hand, have offered opportunities to the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly this season, who each proved their worth by bagging goals in the 5-1 dismantling of Man City.