According to reports this week from Brazil, Edu, the head of Arsenal, is personally negotiating with Gremio to sign Bitello this summer.
Arsenal will sign who?
The north Londoners have had a very busy summer as manager Mikel Arteta attempts to mount another push after coming close to winning the title the previous season.
There hasn’t been a shortage of desire at the Emirates Stadium, with Arsenal signing England’s Declan Rice for £105 million, German international Kai Havertz from Ajax, and Dutch defender Jurrien Timber.
With Arteta expressing his joy on signing Rice, the club’s primary target, the latter agreement is a British transfer record for any English player, surpassing players like Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham.
Declan joining us makes us very delighted, Arteta told the Arsenal media.
He is a footballer of extraordinary talent who has been representing England and the Premier League at a high level for a number of seasons. Declan is undoubtedly providing quality to the team, and as an excellent player, he has a lot of potential for success.
We are quite happy that he is joining us because of the responsibilities and position he has assumed.
There have been rumors that the Gunners could yet add talent to their roster after Rice, Havertz, and Timber before the season is through. In fact, despite having already spent more than £200 million, it’s thought Arsenal also wants to sign Gremio’s Brazilian sensation Bitello.
In an effort to finalize a deal for the 23-year-old, Gunners sporting director Edu Gaspar is reportedly in direct contact with Gremio.
A London-based journalist has additionally verified Arsenal’s interest in Bitello, the eager championship challengers reportedly close to making a bid for him this summer.
The calibre of Bitello?
Bitello has distinguished himself as a crucial player for Gremio throughout the course of his most recent Brasilero season and their best performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored.
In terms of shots on goal, vital passes made, and successful take-ons per 90 in the final third, the South American is among their top four, demonstrating his genuine ability to be a serious threat to Arteta (WhoScored).
Bitello is Gremio’s “primary player,” according to Scout journalist Ben Mattinson of Breaking The Lines, who wrote on Twitter, alongside former Liverpool star Luiz Suarez, who leads the line for them.
Bitello has established himself as a crucial player for Grêmio with his outstanding technical skill and passing range, according to Mattinson on social media.
If anything, he is most likely their star player in addition to Luis Suárez, who plays at the head of the queue.
Bitello was praised by football.london’s Aaron Catterson-Reid for being a “press resistant” player, which might be advantageous for Arteta’s build-out-from-the-back style.
According to Catterson-Reid, Bitello’s adaptability may be his best asset.
He usually plays as a no. 10 or an all-action no. 8 in a midfield pivot.
But during the previous season, he occasionally served as a false nine or right wing. One of his best qualities is ball carrying, and he routinely dribbles the ball up the pitch to advance, which makes him very press resistant.