Arsenal are apparently one of a number of clubs watching 16-year-old Brazilian, Endrick, and Gilberto Silva has been talking about how Arsenal can get ahead of the pack before the player is allowed to leave Brazil when he turns 18.

Endrick (via Twitter)
Endrick (via Twitter)

With Edu in place as Arsenal’s technical director, the club have had something of an advantage when it comes to picking up a couple of talented youngsters from his country.

The club will be hoping that he can utilise similar connections to convince 16-year-old Endrick to move to London when he turns 18 in the summer of 2024.

Gilberto, who currently works as a football consultant, helping to manage the career of players, explained to Metro, “We know the importance in football of being well connected, to people, clubs, sporting directors, presidents of the club.

“This is how things happen.

“But there is big competition to get the best players, from the best leagues.

“or Palmeiras, they are going to receive a lot of calls from many clubs, the best clubs in the world to try and bring him to them.

“It is a tough time for the player, honestly.

“Sometimes they are loads of messages, loads of opportunities, and it can be very difficult to make decisions. It is important for the people around him to give him the right advice together with the family, to let them make the right decision.

“Let’s see, if some point Arsenal did manage to bring the player, they will be getting a very good player.”

Endrick is a centre forward, already valued at £13.5m despite his young age.

With five goals in four appearances for Brazil’s u17s, and six in seven games for Palmeiras’ u20s, it’s not hard to see why.

Promoted to their first team this season, Endrick has so far only featured for 49 minutes across two games.

Speaking back in September, the teenager was keen to play down links with PSG and Milan. “My representatives are my parents and TFM,” he said.

“Only they know and can talk about my plans.

“I’ve never visited PSG and Milan, I don’t have a debut date or a departure date, and I’ve never been so happy at Palmeiras.

“Don’t believe everything you hear out there.”

Unfortunately, it looks like Endrick is set for far more of this sort of thing over the next few years.