As revealed earlier, Chelsea and Manchester United are both pushing to sign Grêmio’s Luis Eduardo. But the interest makes even more sense once you understand his profile.
Luis Eduardo captained the national team at the 2025 South American U17 Championship and helped secure the title. That campaign strengthened his reputation among European scouts.
All the interest from England comes after Grêmio renewed his contract until May 2028 and set a 60 million euro (£51.4m) release clause for foreign clubs, details published by Trivela.
What Brazilian outlets say
Globo Esporte describe Luis Eduardo as a centre-back with strong physical tools, good speed and solid technical base.
They underline his performance at the U17 South American Championship, where he completed 84.4 percent of his passes, hit 50 percent of his long balls and won 72.7 percent of his defensive duels.
In a different report, the outlet also tells that he already made his senior debut for Grêmio earlier this year and has returned to full training after recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in the final against Colombia.
Zero Hora add further detail on his development. They highlight his maturity, leadership and positioning, noting that he already stands close to 1.90m and has operated in different roles across the back line. Although naturally a right-sided centre-back, he has featured on the left and even filled in as a right-back during his senior debut.
The newspaper also refer to his speed, anticipation and calmness on the ball, traits that helped him become captain for both Grêmio and Brazil at youth level.
Brilliant fit for the Premier League
Luis Eduardo have reached sprint peaks of 38 km/h, a mark considered rare even among attackers. This speed allows him to defend large spaces, win long recoveries and support teams that operate with a high defensive line.
His aerial ability, aggressiveness, strong physique and comfort receiving the ball under pressure are tailor-made for the Premier League.
However, as expected from a 17-year-old, he still needs to refine elements such as positional reading, defensive coordination and decision-making under pressure. All natural areas of development for a player with limited senior minutes.
The next steps
Luis Eduardo is now back available for selection as Grêmio resume their schedule and end their 2025 season. His evolution in 2026 will be closely monitored in England.
Chelsea and Manchester United are expected to keep tracking his minutes and physical data, with both clubs working to determine whether they should move earlier for a defender widely regarded in Brazil as one of the most promising talents of his generation.