Arsenal are reportedly tracking a Brazilian wonderkid who could replace William Saliba one day - but is he good enough for the Premier League?
If there’s one thing that Mikel Arteta isn’t in desperate need of right now, it’s another centre-back. With the additions of Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera, Arsenal are blessed with depth at that position that few other squads come close to – but that could change next summer, and fresh reports suggest that the team’s scouts are keeping tabs on a potential solution.
There is still every possibility that Real Madrid will succeed with their long-term pursuit of William Saliba, whose contract expires at the end of the current season. Real have been very publicly monitoring Saliba for at least 18 months in the hope of persuading him to let his contract run down to earn a free transfer to the Bernabeu, a repeat of the approach that worked on Trent Alexander-Arnold. As long as a proposed extension remains unsigned, Arsenal are at risk of losing their best centre-back next year.
One possible solution to that problem seems to be Brazilian centre-back Luiz Gustavo Benedetti, a towering 19-year-old from Palmeiras making a big impression at the start of his career. Mundo Deportivo report that Arsenal are among three major European teams tracking him – but who is Benedetti, what makes him so appealing to teams like Arsenal, and how likely is it that they make a bid in the near future?
Who is Luiz Gustavo Benedetti – and why are Arsenal interested?
At 6’6” tall, Benedetti cuts an imposing figure at the back – a left-footed centre-half who’s excellent in the air and strong in one-on-one situations, the teenager certainly has the fundamental physical attributes required to impress at the back.
Benedetti has only recently forced his way into Palmeiras’ senior side and is yet to establish himself as a regular starter. He has just nine senior appearances to his name and while he travelled with his side’s squad to the Club World Cup this summer, he only made it as far as the bench. He is, at least, expected to be called up to Brazil’s Under-20 World Cup squad, a tournament which gets underway at the end of September.
His lack of experience isn’t especially evident in his play, however. A remarkably calm player on the ball who is composed under pressure and blessed with the technique to be press resistant, Benedetti is comfortable playing out from the back, a very solid passer and happy playing raking long balls up the field to spring fast attacks.
He’s also demonstrated excellent defensive awareness and positioning already, winning 70% of his one-on-one duels in the Brazilian top flight (over an admittedly very small sample size) and rarely missing a tackle.
His ability to time a tackle well helps to cover one of his few apparent deficiencies, which is a lack of quick acceleration which can force him into positions in which he has to reach for a tackle when an opposing forward gets the better of him, and that’s a red flag that might concern some coaches who prefer to sign defenders who don’t need to lunge in – but it’s one minor worry in a remarkably well-rounded set of attributes.
Benedetti is an impressive ball-playing defender who can handle an opposing press, uses the ball well and can do all the more old-fashioned elements of defending in impressive fashion, and who has the size and strength to bully opposing strikers when required. It’s hardly surprising that he’s the latest Palmeiras product to be attracting attention.
The three sides watching Benedetti – and the chances that he moves soon
Mundo Deportivo’s report mentions Arsenal and Napoli as suitors, but focuses on Barcelona’s apparent interest, with the Catalan club apparently keen to find a long-term replacement for Iñigo Martínez, the veteran centre-back who left to join the Saudi Pro League this summer.
It’s likely that other teams will be watching Benedetti as well, and it’s certainly too early for there to be any clear favourites for his signature – nor is it clear that he will be available as early as next summer, when sides such as Arsenal and Barcelona would be likely to want to force a move.
Having sold several promising youngsters including Endrick to Real Madrid and Estevão Willian to Chelsea, Palmeiras are in a strong financial position and under no pressure to sell players for reduced prices – and while Mundo Deportivo speculate that the asking price will be €15m (£13m), they hold a stronger bargaining position than other South American sides and can comfortably push their demands up if Benedetti continues to impress.
The defender also signed a new four-year contract over the summer which ties him to Palmeiras until 2029, improving his team’s leverage even further. At the rate that Benedetti is going, £13m may well prove to be an understatement.
Still, it’s not a sum that would be out of Arsenal’s reach by any means and Palmeiras are a club that have accepted that they won’t be able to hold on to their best talents for great lengths of time. They will demand top dollar, but are prepared to sell when the right offer arrives.
As for whether Arsenal, Barcelona or another side entirely make the first move, that’s something that will likely not become clear until next summer’s transfer window, a time-frame which will give scouts plenty more opportunities to watch Benedetti in action and make their judgements. His progress over the next year – and Saliba’s decision – will determine whether Arsenal are in the bidding or not.
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