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Arsenal face battle with Barcelona to sign Luis Benedetti

By on August 30, 2025

Arsenal’s hopes of completing a deal for Palmeiras defender Luis Benedetti have been dealt a blow after Barcelona stepped up their interest in the teenager, according to Diego Firmino and Felipe Lemos.

Arsenal have been strongly linked with Benedetti this summer and have been working on a potential deal in recent weeks.

Reports late last week claimed that Arsenal had submitted an official offer worth £8.4m and were hoping to push through a deal before Monday’s deadline.

However, it looks like Barcelona are trying to trump Arsenal to the 6ft 6in defender’s signature.

Journalists Firmino and Lemos claim that Barca are now in talks with Palmeiras to sign Benedetti in a deal worth around £10m plus add-ons.

Their plan is to place the 19-year-old in the B team from early 2026 so that he gains regular minutes before making the step up.

Arsenal keen on South American talents

Arsenal’s transfer policy in recent years has often included chasing promising players from South America.

Benedetti fits this profile, with the club seeing him as a player who can grow into a key option in the future.

Despite Arsenal’s interest, Barcelona’s approach has placed Mikel Arteta’s side under pressure.

If they remain serious about securing the youngster, they may need to act swiftly before the defender makes the switch to Spain.

Benedetti is a product of the Palmeiras academy and has slowly worked his way into the first-team picture.

His size and aerial ability have made him stand out as a unique prospect in Brazilian football.

Benedetti’s current status at Palmeiras

The teenager has made 15 senior appearances for Palmeiras this season, although many of those have come from the bench under manager Abel Ferreira.

His limited starts have not stopped European clubs from tracking his progress closely.

Palmeiras, however, are in a strong position to dictate terms. Benedetti signed a long-term contract that runs until December 2029, meaning the club are not under any immediate pressure to sell.

Arsenal must now decide whether to raise their offer or risk losing another talented youngster to Barcelona.

The coming weeks could prove decisive in shaping the defender’s future.