The Gunners have been linked with both Joao Palhinha and Douglas Luiz as of late, but there are problems on both fronts there.
Arsenal think Palhinha is a bit too old, while Luiz could prove to be unattainable due to Aston Villa’s ascension to the top level and his huge pricetag.
Therefore, Arsenal now have to look elsewhere, and according to Football Transfers, there’s another Brazilian midfielder on their radar.
According to this report, Pablo Maia is a player that is catching Arsenal’s eye.
Sao Paulo v Atletico Goianiense - Copa CONMEBOL Sudamericana 2022: Semifinals
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Now, this is very interesting to say the least.
The Brazilian market is becoming more and more tempting to British clubs after Brexit, and Arsenal are one of the teams at the forefront of that push.
Gabriel Martinelli was one of the best buys in the Gunners’ recent history, and with Edu at the helm as Sporting Director, Arsenal have a real edge when it comes to chasing these Brazilian talents.
So, what type of player is Maia? Well, as you may expect as a Douglas Luiz/Palhinha alternative, he’s a holding midfielder who plays with a lot of intensity.
The 21-year-old averages two tackles per game at the moment, and while that doesn’t sound a lot, there’s only three players in the Arsenal squad who average more, with Maia out-tackling the likes of William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
This isn’t the first time Maia has been linked with a move to England either.
West Ham were said to be keen on the Brazilian, ironically, as a replacement for Declan Rice last year, and the fact that they saw him as a suitable Rice replacement is quite exciting it has to be said.
At the age of just 21, this is a young player with lots of room to grow, and you have to say, it would be a very Arsenal signing.
Whether or not Arsenal push to get this deal done remains to be seen, but it does sound as though Maia could be an interesting addition to this Arsenal squad.
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