Arsenal was another Premier League club that tried to get in on the action for Brazilian wonderkid Isaque Silva, but the 18-year-old Fluminense midfielder is still bound for Shakhtar Donetsk.
According to RTI Esporte in Brazil, the Gunners made late contact with the Rio club, showing real interest and even putting more money on the table than the €12m (£10.1m) package from Ukraine.
This comes right after A Bola in Portugal linked Isaque to Liverpool, and Globo Esporte confirmed Manchester City also had a look. In the end, it’s Shakhtar who won the race, with Arsenal’s late effort unable to change the outcome.
The deal with Shakhtar is set at €10m (£8.4m) fixed plus €2m (£1.6m) in bonuses. Fluminense will also keep 10% of a future sale. The teenager is already expected to travel to Donetsk on Tuesday to complete his medical and sign.
To push the agreement over the line, both Isaque’s camp and the club reduced their own shares – the player’s side cutting their stake from 15% to 6%, while his agents dropped from 10% to 7%.
Isaque had 11 first-team appearances for Fluminense since his debut at the end of 2024 and has been clear about his dream of one day shining in the Premier League. For now, though, his next step will be in Ukraine.