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Arsenal eye move to sign Dinamo Zagreb’s Rafael Belinho

By on January 29, 2026

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Dinamo Zagreb forward Rafael Belinho, as per The Athletic.

The 17-year-old started his youth career at Brazilian side Vasco Da Gama before joining the Croatian giants back in 2022. Although he hasn’t made his first-team debut yet, he has already started attracting a lot of attention due to exceptional performances for the youth team.

The Brazil-born Croatian mainly plays for Dinamo Zagreb’s U17 team, but they have also used him at the U19 level to fast-track his development.

Now, The Athletic report that (via the Evening Standard), Arsenal are interested in Belinho and have been keeping a close eye on his development before making a potential swoop.

However, the 17-year-old isn’t eligible to play in the Premier League unless he turns 18, which won’t happen until January 2027.

The report state that purchasing Belinho won’t be straightforward for the North London club as other European teams are also interested in securing his services.

He is a left-footed creative midfielder by trait, but is also comfortable on the right flank. He is a technically gifted player, can dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, and is efficient in playing through passes between the lines.

Belinho to Arsenal

Arsenal currently have Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, and Ethan Nwaneri as creative midfield options. However, having struggled to find regular game time this season, Nwaneri has joined Olympique de Marseille on a loan deal until the end of this campaign.

On the other hand, Eze enjoyed a promising start after joining from Crystal Palace last summer. However, he has struggled to find regular game time in recent weeks, starting only one out of the last eight Premier League matches.

Odegaard, meanwhile, has found it difficult to showcase his best in recent matches; as a result, he has come under a lot of criticism.

So, it appears Arsenal are planning to sign a new No.10. Belinho is a highly talented player and possesses the potential to reach the top.

Therefore, he might be a shrewd acquisition for the Gunners should they purchase him. However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the North London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure his services.