Chelsea open door for Arsenal to sign £25m Jorginho replacement in January

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Chelsea may have opened the door for Premier League rivals Arsenal, Everton and Nottingham Forest after rowing back on their interest in the £25 million-rated Corinthians wonderkid Gabriel Moscardo. 

Since the Todd Boehly takeover, Chelsea have spent obscene sums on exciting if unproven talent in the hope of transforming Stamford Bridge into something of a nursery school for the world’s most gifted kids.

But it appears that Corinthians’ £25 million asking price for 17-year-old Gabriel Moscardo is where Chelsea draw the line. The struggling London giants, IG Esporte say, have been scared off as Cornthians demand a fee of £22 million up front, plus bonuses.

Chelsea are expected to resume talks in January – having had a bid rejected over the summer – but suggestions that they have ‘cooled’ their interest presents an opportunity to the likes of Nottingham Forest, Everton, Newcastle United and even neighbours Arsenal. 

Arsenal now in for Chelsea target Gabriel Moscardo

“Gabriel Moscardo almost signed for Chelsea a few weeks ago, and (there are rumours that he) could now become a Barcelona player,” Brazilian reporter Jorge Nicola explains via his YouTube channel, indicating that a decision is likely to be made once Corinthians’ season comes to an end in a few months’ time. 

“(My source says) ‘so far, there is nothing concrete with regards to Barcelona. Only press speculation’.

“The same source assures me that the midfielder has been looked at by several clubs in European football,” Nicola adds. “Including Real Madrid and Arsenal.

“(Moscardo’s) future should be negotiated in the next window.” 

January negotiation likely

With former Brazil international Edu Gaspar pulling the strings from above, Arsenal have developed quite the understanding of the South American market, bringing in the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Marquinhos while also scouting Kaio Jorge, Savinho and co. 

Moscardo, meanwhile, is already a regular at the heart of the Corinthians midfield even before his 18^th birthday. Taking into account his excellent distribution in a deeper role, Arsenal may potentially view Moscardo as a long-term successor for the ageing Jorginho, at fault for Heung-Min Son’s equaliser during Sunday’s enthralling North London derby.