**Chelsea and Arsenal are both keeping close tabs on Corinthians centre-back Iago Machado, according to reports in Brazil.**
[_Lance!_](https://www.lance.com.br/corinthians/aposta-de-diniz-contra-o-flamengo-e-observado-por-arsenal-e-chelsea.html) claim that the two London clubs began to send scouts to watch the teenager when he participated in the prestigious youth tournament, the Copinha, at the start of this year.
Machado played four games in total – starting all three group fixtures and the first knockout round, where he scored during a 2-1 defeat to Guarani.
Following the conclusion of the Under 20 competition, the 17-year-old was integrated into Corinthians’ first team squad.
Machado made his senior debut at the weekend
--------------------------------------------
While the defender has been training with the senior squad since April, he had not made it onto the pitch until he was handed his first start against Flamengo on Sunday.
Machado played the full 90 minutes during the 2-1 loss, and his performance has got many speculating about his future.
One potential stumbling block for Chelsea could be his agent. His affairs are managed by Giuliano Bertolucci, who also has two [**Arsenal**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-player-ratings-arsenal-5/) players (Gabriel and Bruno Guimaraes) on his books.
It should be pointed out, though, that the Blues have had previous dealings with Machado’s representative, as his agency also works with Andrey Santos.
How much would Chelsea need to pay for the player?
--------------------------------------------------
Corinthians tied down Machado to a three-year contract last year, and it includes a €100m (£85.6m) release clause. The Brazilian outfit are unlikely to hold out for that much, but it does demonstrate how highly they rate him.
It should also be pointed out that due to FIFA regulations and UK visa rules, the centre-half will only be eligible for a switch away from his native country when he turns 18. That means he won’t move during the January transfer window, as his birthday is February 17th. However, a pre-agreement could be reached ahead of next summer.