How Arsenal can take advantage of the South American market

Reports suggest Arsenal will make a move for Grêmio star Bitello this week, and his mooted transfer ought to be just the start of our South American scouting operation.

In truth, the Gunners have conducted plenty of business with Brazilian clubs before, notably signing Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano in 2019 and Marquinhos from Sao Paulo last summer. Meanwhile, it was a deal with Flamengo three years ago that saw Pablo Marí arrive in north London as Mikel Arteta’s first-ever acquisition.

But South America is still a market the club infrequently explores, and the recent relaxation of work-permit rules – alongside Edu’s connections as a former General Coordinator of the Brazilian Football Federation – indicates that this is something we must change.

Bitello deal should mark the evolution of Arsenal’s approach to the South American market

The region was already drawing huge Premier League interest post-Brexit as work permits for non-EU players now put less importance on international caps, while the Brazilian and Argentinian leagues now rank higher in the criteria used to decide the number of points players receive towards their permit – thereby making deals between European and South American sides much more feasible.

This process became even easier in June when the Home Office approved softer regulations to ensure English clubs do not miss out on exceptional talent, allowing teams to sign a set number of players (initially two, possibly three or four if certain criteria are met) even if the individual has fewer than the 15 points typically needed to get a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) from the FA.

However, in a bid to stop player abuse, it remains the case that international transfers can only be sanctioned for those aged 18 or over – as shown by Real Madrid’s deal to sign 16-year-old Endrick last December (he will officially join in July 2024).

The new rules might help to explain our ongoing Bitello pursuit, but they could also encourage Arsenal to gain a strong regional foothold and use both Edu’s contacts and his familiarity with this market to give us the best possible chance of acquiring any hot prospects.

Furthermore, it may be in our interest to develop relationships with potential feeder clubs across Europe (preferably in the Iberian Peninsula) as different tactical levels make it very difficult for South American players to integrate into Premier League life directly from their homeland.

Portugal is just one suitable location for a feeding partnership because the country shares many cultural similarities with South America and has a proven record of facilitating adjustment to European football away from the Premier League limelight (including for Ederson, Fabinho and Raphinha).

We cannot afford to wait as Real Madrid (Endrick) and Barcelona (Vitor Roque) have already stolen a march on the competition. Additionally, and even closer to home, Brighton (Moisés Caicedo, Julio Enciso, Alexis Mac Allister) are still leading the way with talent identification and proving there is extraordinary value for money on offer in an increasingly expensive transfer climate.

Even with the ‘process’ now reaching its endgame, youth investment remains central to the Arsenal recruitment drive and Bitello rumours signal that we appreciate the role South America can play in fulfilling our long-term ambitions.

New regulations mean now is the ideal time to pounce, and the identity of our Sporting Director puts us in a great position to do so.