‘Arsenal believe they are favourites’: Arsenal genuinely think they might sign 23-year-old – journalist

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Arsenal have made three high-profile signings already this summer, and their spending may now have to slow down.

Indeed, after splashing out around £200m on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, the Gunners may now have to look towards some more modest deals.

Interestingly, the north London club have been linked with a move for Bitello, a 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder from Gremio, and according to Graeme Bailey, this is a deal that is progressing.

Speaking on the Talking Transfers Podcast, Bailey stated that this deal is moving forwards, albeit at a snail’s pace, and the Gunners actually think they are favourites to seal this deal.

Arsenal favourites

Bailey shared what he knows about Bitello.

“Yeah that is progressing, it is going a bit slow. I think Arsenal have had other issues they’ve been dealing with. It’s not an expensive deal, Gremio are looking for a €10m (£7.5m) deal, it is a deal Edu has picked out, they really want the player, they like him a lot, they’ve done their homework on him. I think Arsenal believe they are favourites for him, but there is interest from elsewhere, Monaco, Porto, Zenit St Petersburg,” Bailey said.

“They don’t have it all their own way, but Arsenal are confident of getting him in.”

Interesting

The signings of Havertz, Rice and Timber are brilliant bits of business from Arsenal, but we can’t help but be most intrigued by the potential arrival of Bitello.

It’s always exciting when any club signs an unknown youngster from Brazil, but you sit up and take notice that much more when Arsenal do it.

The Gunners have strong links with Brazil via Edu, and after picking out Gabriel Martinelli from absolutely nowhere a few years ago, you can’t help but be excited about another potential Brazilan coup.

Bitello is certainly a player to keep an eye on.