Luiz Henrique has admitted that he dreams of one day playing for Arsenal, revealing his admiration for the club’s style of play and the work of manager Mikel Arteta.
The Brazilian forward made the comments in an interview with Flashscore while on international duty with Brazil.
Henrique, who currently plays for Zenit Saint Petersburg, spoke openly about his ambitions for the future.
The 23-year-old has already experienced major success in South America after winning the Copa Libertadores with Botafogo in 2024.
He is now hoping his progress will eventually lead to a move to one of Europe’s biggest leagues.
Henrique said his ultimate ambition is to represent Brazil at the FIFA World Cup and then secure a move to a top club in England.
“My dream is to win the World Cup with Brazil,” he said. “Then I want to fulfil my dream of going to Europe and playing for a big team in England.”
Asked directly about potential clubs in the Premier League, Henrique highlighted Arsenal as his preferred destination.
“I really like Arsenal and the way they play,” he explained. “They are very aggressive and they play a lot down the left and right.”
Henrique added that he has already spoken to Arsenal defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli about the club.
“I have spoken with Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli,” he said. “They tell me the team is excellent.”
Henrique also spoke about his difficult upbringing in the Brazilian city of Petropolis.
He grew up in the community of Vale do Carangola, where football became his escape from a challenging environment.
“It was difficult,” Henrique admitted. “Sometimes my family could not give me everything I needed to play.”
“There were moments when I feared it might not work out.”
Despite those obstacles, the forward remained determined to pursue his career.
He even considered giving up football briefly to pursue another sport.
“At one point I even thought about stopping football to do judo,” he said. “Luckily I realised I was better at football.”
Henrique also praised Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti for the way he manages the national team environment.
“He is like a father to us,” Henrique explained. “He talks to everyone and wants to hear where players feel comfortable.”
The forward recently impressed after coming off the bench during Brazil’s friendly against France.
Henrique said he approaches matches with the same freedom he felt playing football as a child.
“When I step onto the pitch, I imagine I’m back in my community playing with my friends,” he said. “If you go onto the pitch scared, nothing flows.”
For now, Henrique remains focused on continuing his development in Russia and with Brazil.
But his admiration for Arsenal suggests that a move to the Premier League could be a long-term ambition.