Barcelona scout Brazil’s latest defensive wonderkid after Carlo Ancelotti call-up | OneFootball

Barcelona chose not to sign a new central defender in the summer, instead placing their faith in Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Andreas Christensen and co. for the time being. However, there is a chance they re-enter the transfer market in January, with their sporting department already working on possible targets.

A left-sided centre-back is the preferred profile wanted for Hansi Flick’s squad, which is why there has been shown in Aymeric Laporte and Ruud Nijstad. However, a new name has entered Barcelona’s plans in the last few weeks, that being Athletico Paranaense star Arthur Dias.

As reported by UmDois Esportes (via BarcaCentre), Barcelona are showing interest in Dias, to the point that head of scouting Joao Amaral was in Brazil over the weekend to take in his performance against Bahia, a match Athletico PR won 2-1.

Who is Arthur Dias?

Dias, whom Carlo Ancelotti has included in his Brazil squad for the first time for their upcoming schedule, has established himself as a regular starter for Athletico PR over the last 12 months, despite only being 19 years of age. Standing at 1.88m, he’s considered to be a very good fit for Barcelona’s centre-back profile, given that he’s young yet experienced, while also being left-sided.

Being from Brazil, it’s no surprise that Dias has good technical ability, and given the way that Flick wants his central defenders to play, it’s encouraging that he’s good with the ball at his feet. He’s also good at tackling, which his recovery pace is also a highlight, which again makes him a good fit for the Barcelona system.

Barcelona will no doubt be keeping an eye on Dias during the international break, and if he impresses against Australia and/or India, it would be no surprise to see their interest intensify – especially given that he’s only under contract until December 2028, meaning that his price could drop if he fails to sign a renewal before the 2027 winter transfer window opens in January.

However, it must also be noted that the teenager has been linked with a number of other clubs in Europe – most notably those from the Premier League – which will make it more difficult for the Catalans to sign him.