Arsenal are lining up an “official proposal” for Palmeiras defender Vitor Reis, according to Nosso Palestra.
The Brazilian website claims that the Gunners have been in “constant conversations” with the 18-year-old’s representatives and there is an expectation that a bid will be lodged over the “coming weeks.”
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Reis is one of Palmeiras’ prized assets and it is thought that they may rebuff approaches in January with the belief they can hold out for a bigger fee next summer.
However, Nosso Palestra report that a sale next month has not been completely ruled out.
The player has been on Arsenal’s radar for a while
Back in October, it was reported by The Athletic that the Gunners had made “initial enquiries” about the teenager’s availability, having already held talks with his agents.
Palmeiras are in a pretty strong position to keep hold of Reis, considering the centre-half only signed a new contract back in August. It also included a €100m (£83m) release clause.
Of course, Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping to sign the Brazilian Under 17 international for a price considerably below that figure but that may depend on how many other clubs enter the race for his signature.
There is competition for Reis
Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all known to be keeping close tabs on the centre-half, with Real said to be the biggest threat to Arsenal.
The European champions have suffered a series of injuries in their backline and they could potentially offer Reis starting opportunities almost immediately if he chose to make the switch to the Bernabeu.
In contrast, the Gunners may not be able to give him any guarantees about his first-team chances. We shall see how negotiations unfold in the next few weeks.
Find out who is in Arsenal’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here