Arsenal have been in contact with the agent of Yuri Alberto over the striker’s contract situation, according to reports from Brazil.

27th April 2021 - Estadio Beira Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil Copa Libertadores, Internacional versus Deportivo Tachira - Yuri Alberto of Internacional celebrates his goal in the 75th minute. Photo: Max Peixoto
27th April 2021 – Estadio Beira Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil Copa Libertadores, Internacional versus Deportivo Tachira – Yuri Alberto of Internacional celebrates his goal in the 75th minute. Photo: Max Peixoto

Goal Brazil report that Arsenal have been in touch with Andre Cury, Yuri Alberto’s agent, to find out about the forward’s situation at Internacional.

Cury reported that the 20-year-old would cost at least €15m, with his club unwilling to negotiate for any less. The player has a contract until 2025.

Alberto has scored 19 goals and assisted four in all competitions this year. The Brazilian league runs on a calendar-year format, so those are also his season stats.

Before Goal’s article, Alberto had actually been on a bit of a drought, going five matches without a goal or assist.

He immediately ended that run with a goal against Atletico Clube Goianiense in midweek.

Alberto is a Brazil u23 international, making his debut for the Olympic side at 18. He’s still one for the future, a player making his name in senior football rather than already being fully established in the men’s game.

In a way, that would make him a strange signing for Arsenal. The Gunners have Gabriel Martinelli, Folarin Balogun, and Mika Biereth, they aren’t in desperate need of a young up-and-coming striker.

Unless Arsenal feel Alberto is ready to immediately break into the Premier League team, they might be better off looking at more senior options.

But after the last summer of purely signing players under the age of 25, you wouldn’t put it past the club to keep going with project youth.

Yuri Alberto
Yuri Alberto in 2017

Arsenal have reportedly been following Yuri Alberto for a long time now.

Globo Esporte reported in June that Arsenal were monitoring the striker’s career evolution.

The Gunners apparently had Alberto on their radar before he even joined Internacional, during his Santos days. They spotted him during the Montaigu Tournament in France in 2017 when he was just 16 years old.

At the time, Arsenal made contact with the player’s camp, but negotiations didn’t go any further. Instead, Alberto joined Internacional in August 2020.