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Josh Holland

Arsenal make transfer approach for £52.5m Brazilian wonderkid amid Chelsea and Barcelona battle

Arsenal have reportedly opened talks with the representatives of Brazilian prodigy Vitor Roque. The teenage striker has attracted interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs recently and the Gunners are said to be making the first move.

Roque currently plays for Brazilian side Athletico Paranaense and has become a prized asset in recent weeks with his performances at the U20 South American Championship. The striker is the tournament's top-scorer with six goals, adding to his impressive stats in his home nation.

The 2005-born attacker has scored 13 goals in 52 professional games and has been tracked by a number of clubs across Europe. Previously, reports in Spain claimed 'several' big teams were chasing his signature, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

READ MORE: Mikel Arteta delivers update on Folarin Balogun's Arsenal future amid recent transfer links

However, now, GOAL are claiming that Arsenal technical director Edu Gaspar has approached the striker's agent in an attempt to become frontrunners. The Gunners are leading the way at the top of the Premier League table and have begun preparations for the future in north London.

It's claimed that Barcelona themselves are targeting a deal for this summer whilst PSG and Man United are said to be put off by the astounding £52.5million release clause in his contract.

Athletico Paranaense are expected to direct any potential buyers to the striker's release clause. The Brazilian side paid only £3.8million (R$24million) - a club-record fee - for Roque in 2021 and are now due to receive an enormous profit bracket.

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