Arsenal are following 22-year-old Club Athletico Paranaense midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, according to reports in Brazil.

Globo Esporte report that several clubs hold an interest in Bruno Guimaraes in the January window. Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Chelsea and Flamengo join Arsenal on the list. Each club has a different set of circumstances affecting a potential deal.

Guimaraes previously admitted his ‘priority’ to play in Europe, and the GE article suggests he hasn’t shown any interest in playing for another Brazilian club. As a result, he’s unlikely to end up with Flamengo.

Atletico Madrid and Benfica don’t seem to have the funds for major investment in January. Arsenal and Chelsea, therefore, hold the advantage as things stand.

The issue, as always, is getting Guimaraes a work permit to play in England. We’ve seen that before with plenty of Arsenal players from outside Europe. Gabriel Martinelli was an exceptional case thanks to his Italian passport.

It always helps if you’re featuring for your country, so Guimaraes’ recent call-ups to the Brazil u23s should set him on the right path.

Guimaraes has a contract with Athletico until 2023. He plays in midfield, and he’s a very strong passer from a defensive midfield role.

In the last two years, he’s won the Campeonato Paranaense, Copa Sudamericana and the Copa do Brasil. Plus, the Supercup contested between the Copa Sudamericana winners and the J. League Cup winners.

Those trophies make up half of Athletico’s national and international cabinets. Guimaraes also made the Serie A Team of the Year in 2019. Clearly, he’s having a very successful time in Brazil. No wonder plenty of clubs are showing interest.