London giants Arsenal and Chelsea will both battle it out for Corinthians sensation Robert Renan.
According to Gazeta Esportiva (h/t Sport Witness), Premier League giants Arsenal will go up against arch-rivals Chelsea as the race to land Robert Renan heats up.
The 19-year-old is one of Corinthians’ best players this season and has taken his game to new heights. Still raw, there is much to be learned before Renan can count himself to be a top-tier performer.
Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s sporting director has a good relationship with the Brazilian side, and it could sway the negotiations in their favour. Mikel Arteta is putting together a young, hungry team and Renan should fit right in.
Primarily a centre-back, the young Brazilian whizkid can also do a job as a left-back. Good on the ball and confident enough in the tackle, Renan has what it takes to develop into a reliable defensive general. Arteta has shown the ability to take his youth prospects to new heights and will almost certainly work his magic on Renan.
The Gunners struck gold by beating other clubs to Gabriel Martinelli in 2019. The Brazilian is today a key performer and is with the national side in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Time will tell if Renan will join Martinelli, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus as the Samba flavour returns to the Emirates.
Chelsea are also in the market for a centre-back and could prove to be a thorn in the Gunners’ efforts to land the 19-year-old. Graham Potter’s side is in the midst of a rebuild and could do with a revamp of their central defensive roster.
Thiago Silva is on his last legs, while summer recruit Kalidou Koulibaly has struggled to translate his dominance from the Serie A to the Premier League. Wesley Fofana is yet to hit his stride while Trevoh Chalobah is far from a first-choice defender for a top side.
Todd Boehly’s takeover has seen the Blues bring in several top young talents to Stamford Bridge, a trend that could continue in the upcoming transfer windows. If all goes well, Renan could join the likes of Cesare Casadei, Gabriel Slolina and Carney Chukuwuemeka at Cobham.
Whether he ends up at the Emirates or at Stamford Bridge, Renan is likely to find himself under a manager who is adept at developing raw potential into something tangible. Where exactly that will occur remains debatable.
