Everything you need to know about Arsenal target Bitello

Arsenal have gone to the Brazilian well the past few seasons.

They hit big with Gabriel Martinelli, whom they acquired for a little over €7m from Ituano when he was 19. The winger is now worth more than ten times that amount in the transfer market.

The Gunners then returned for another Brazilian prospect when they bought 19-year-old Marquinhos from Sao Paulo a year ago for a small fee. While the return on the winger/forward remains to be seen, he has shown glimpses of what he can do, starring on his debut against FC Zurich last season before being loaned to Norwich City.

With Edu in charge, the link to Brazil is obvious. Arsenal currently have their eye on Gremio attacking midfielder Bitello who will be available for  €10m. He is older than both Marquinhos and Martinelli when Arsenal bought them at 23, but if he is catching the eye of Edu and Arteta, there has to be quality there.

Everything you need to know about Arsenal target Bitello

Here’s everything you need to know about the reported Arsenal target.

The origins of ‘Bitello’

João Paulo de Souza Mares is Bitello’s full name. He was born in Formosa do Oeste which is a municipality in the state of Paraná in the southern region of Brazil with a population of only 7,510.

In an interview with UOL Esporte, Bitello says he got his nickname because of a truck his friend owned that had an inscription on it that read “Why not Bitello?” He talked about the truck inscription and how the horn honked so loud all the time that his teacher at school scolded him about Bitello. She gave him the nickname Bitello and it stuck ever since.

Bitello’s favourite player & career so far

In the same interview Bitello says his favorite player to watch is Thiago Alcantara. He is poised to mimic the vision, passion, and intelligence of the Liverpool midfielder.

Bitello started his playing career in Serie D of Brazilian football with FC Cascavel in 2017 before joining Gremio’s academy in 2019.

He appeared on the Gremio radar for his performance in the Paranaense under-19 Championship. As a number 10, he scored 11 goals in 12 matches. He spent much of his time in the youth squad before being promoted to the first team in 2022. He scored ten goals in that campaign and helped Gremio get promoted to Serie A with a second-place finish.

Bittello’s style of play

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Bitello fits the mould of the prototypical Arsenal player: versatile. He plays as a midfielder/ inside forward off the right He plays a supporting role to Gremio’s striker Luis Suarez whose vast experience of being one of the best #9’s of this generation has helped the development of the young midfielder. Aside from playing wide, Bitello has also shown the ability to play up the middle from box to box meaning he can cover all facets of the midfield. He’s also been deployed up top in Suarez’s absence.

Bitello has notched eight goals and four assists in 37 games this season. If you take a look at the Brazilian on the pitch, the one trait that sticks out is his intricacy in the final third as well as his distribution. He has a good first touch and as usual with all Joga Bonito Brazilians, he has exceptional dribbling talents.

Bitello’s excellent ball striking also renders him a threat from distance, and he could possibly be another option for Mikel Arteta from free-kicks.

Why are Arsenal interested in Bitello?

It always is a challenge for any young player no matter what league they are coming from to transition to the physicality and speed of the Premier League. With Arsenal competing in the Champions League this season, a gruelling schedule awaits. Durability and depth were two of the major reasons Arsenal faltered down the stretch last season, and Bitello would provide depth for the brutal schedule that lies ahead. The Brazilian’s injury record is also clean.

Bitello is a big NBA fan and is an admirer of the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry. He sometimes mimics Curry’s patented “putting them to sleep” celebration after scoring which the great point guard often performs after hitting a big three-pointer.

While he’s a player very few Arsenal supporters are familiar with, Bitello could be an immediate squad player for the beginning of League Cup and FA Cup action. He can be used for depth should there be injuries to the midfield or attacking players if Arsenal are willing to pay the rumoured fee.