Chelsea have piled on the pressure in their pursuit of Corinthians starlet Gabriel Mascardo in recent weeks, pushing for an agreement.
Sources close to CaughtOffside have confirmed the player remains fully focused on the remainder of the Brazilian top-flight season.
That said, the teenager does have intentions of moving to Europe at some juncture, though it remains to be seen which outfit will secure his services.
It’s understood that, whilst Mauricio Pochettino’s side is in constant contact with the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A side, they will face competition from Barcelona.
The midfielder is well-admired by the Catalan giants’ sporting director, Deco, whilst Edu at Arsenal is also said to be keeping Mascardo in mind.
CaughtOffside sources have indeed noted the Gunners as potential suitors, with the 18-year-old fitting the profile they’re looking out for in the market.
Corinthians, for their part, will not budge on their own price-tag, which remains set at around £25m.