Arsenal Enter £70M Transfer ‘Battle’ For Brazilian Wonderkid Who Has Been Likened To Cunha

Arsenal are set to enter the “battle” to sign Palmeiras forward Luighi, according to reports.

The Sun claim that the Gunners are vying with European giants Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund for the 19-year-old.

Luighi won’t be available on the cheap. He recently signed a new contract with Palmeiras keeping him at the Brazilian club until the end of 2029.

It includes a buyout fee which The Sun report is as high as £70m, but they believe his club will accept a bid below that amount.

Luighi’s teammate Estevao had a release clause worth €60m (£51m) but Chelsea signed him by paying just £28m up front.

What do Arsenal fans need to know about the player?

Luighi first came to the attention of Gunners scouts when he played for Brazil at the Under-17 World Cup in 2023. He only made one start at the tournament but he still scored twice in 5 appearances.

Since then, the forward has impressed in the Copinha (Brazil’s version of the FA Youth Cup) and the Under-20 Copa Libertadores.

Luighi has also made his senior debut for Palmeiras, coming on as a substitute in July last year against Bahia. He has made 12 first-team appearances in total, scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist.

He has been likened to Cunha

While Luighi can play as a centre-forward, he does prefer to drift into deeper positions with a preference for playing down the left flank.

His dribbling skills have often been compared to fellow Brazilian Matheus Cunha. The Wolves star was heavily linked with a transfer to the Emirates in January, although it is now believed he is closer to joining Manchester United.

In terms of Luighi, it seems Mikel Arteta’s side will have to see off a challenge from teams on the continent to secure his services.

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