Gremio star midfielder Arthur seems ready to make a jump to Europe, and all signs indicated he was on the verge of making a move to FC Barcelona. However, Los Blaugranas have competition to acquire the talented playmaker.
According to a report from the Mirror, Chelsea are ready to battle the Spanish giants to land the coveted playmaker. Arthur was one of the best players in Brazil this past season, and he emerged as a pivotal piece for Gremio on their Copa Libertadores winning run.
Barcelona were always thought to be on the driver seat of the race to land the 21-year-old prospect, but the presence of the reigning English Premier League champions should alert Barca, because Chelsea have enough money to go toe-to-toe with any team in the world when it comes to signing players from overseas.
It is believed that Gremio are unwilling to negotiate with Barcelona due to the fact they are mad at the Spanish club after a photo of Arthur having dinner with some Barca representatives surfaced online a few days ago. This could open the door for Chelsea to sign the midfielder, as Antonio Conte sees Arthur as the perfect long-term replacement for Cesc Fabregas.
Arthur has a £44m release clause in his current deal. That’s a relatively modest amount of money for a player that could become one of the best holding midfielders in the world sooner than later.
