Arsenal and Liverpool continue to show interest in Sau Paulo star Lucas Beraldo
Premier League sides Liverpool and Arsenal often compete with each other on the field with high stakes on offer and the same can now be said of them in the transfer market regarding Lucas Beraldo.
The 20-year-old is one of the finest young defenders in South America and was part of the Sau Paulo side that won the Copa do Brasil in 2023. Good on the ball, he is capable of doing an excellent job both as a centre-back and also as a defensive midfielder if needed.
This augurs well for sides that play out from the back like Liverpool and Arsenal. Both sides need players who can drop deep and have ice in their veins to play out of sticky situations. Beraldo might be young and yet to reach his full potential but the signs are there that he can be a special acquisition.
Arsenal have raided the Brazilian league in the past, most notably in landing a then-unknown Gabriel Martinelli. Liverpool too have experienced a shift towards South American talents given their acquisitions of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister in recent windows. The fact that they were among the first major teams to be interested in Andre Trindade shows that the Brazilian market is high on their radar.
Still just 20, Beraldo has the potential to develop into a top-tier defender for years to come. According to Fichajes, his current deal runs until 2028, meaning the Brazilian giants hold the edge when it comes to negotiations. With Italian side Juventus also in the fray, it could come down to whoever pays the asking price.
With Joel Matip out injured and Van Dijk not getting any younger, Liverpool need to bring in a long-term partner for Ibrahima Konate at the heart of their defence. While Beraldo is yet green, he could very well develop under Jurgen Klopp’s tutelage in the coming years.
Gabriel and William Saliba form the crux of Arsenal’s central defence and are young enough to last the upcoming few seasons. Whether Mikel Arteta and Co can smell an opportunity regarding Beraldo remains to be seen.
