Arsenal are ready to bid for Gremio midfielder Bitello, and the Brazilian club could ask for around £8.5m to strike a deal.
The 23-year-old has been in excellent form for Gremio this season, providing seven goals and four assists across 33 matches from a variety of positions.
A report from Correio Dopovo in Brazil has claimed that Arsenal have sent representatives to Porto Alegre to discuss a deal, and a bid can be expected soon.
Arsenal’s interest has seemingly emerged out of nowhere, with no previous links to the player, who is very highly rated in Brazil, and technical director Edu Gaspar will be familiar with Bitello.
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What can Bitello bring to Arsenal?
Initially an attacking midfielder, Gremio’s poor form last year led to Bitello dropping into a deeper defensive midfield position, and their results improved instantly.
The key thing to note about Bitello is his versatility. He moved from an attacking midfield role to a defence-minded one last season, and has now moved again to the right wing, where he has formed a strong partnership with former Liverpool and Barcelona forward Luis Suarez.
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Journalist Emilio Blanco has compared his performances on the wing, which is where the bulk of his goals and assists have come from, to former Bayern Munich star Douglas Costa.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal complete a deal, and whether they see Bitello as someone who can join the team immediately. If Mikel Arteta considers him as an attacking midfielder, Arsenal are already well-stocked in the position following the arrival of Kai Havertz, and he may need to go on loan.
If considered a winger, he could be a squad backup for Bukayo Saka, and perhaps Arteta sees him as a versatile option to cover all areas, with his performances as a defensive midfielder particularly interesting given the transfer links surrounding Thomas Partey.
If the Ghanian does leave, perhaps Bitello may be seen as extra cover as a deep midfielder, as well as someone who can play further forward.