Report: Arsenal step-up interest in Real Madrid defender and Brazilian wonderkid | OneFootball

Arsenal’s January Calm and Summer Calculations

While much of the Premier League churns through January with urgency and anxiety, Arsenal have chosen stillness. It is a decision that speaks to confidence, structure and a belief that this squad, as presently constituted, is not merely sufficient but strong.

Ethan Nwaneri’s loan to Marseille provides a neat illustration of Arsenal’s broader strategy. The 18-year-old made an instant impression, scoring in a 3-1 win over Lens on his debut. It is development by exposure, not accumulation by panic. Arsenal are exporting promise rather than importing short-term fixes.

Youth pathways and long-term recruitment

Arsenal’s attention, as reported by The Athletic, remains fixed on the horizon rather than the immediate. The club continues to monitor 20-year-old Real Madrid defender Victor Valdepenas, with interest primarily relating to the summer. Any deal would be difficult to pull off, with Real Madrid determined to keep hold of their most promising young players.

The recruitment net is cast wider still. Arsenal are also tracking 17-year-old Brazilian Rafael Belinho, who, like former Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva, holds a Croatian passport. The teenage attacker would be eligible to move to the Premier League once he turns 18, though there is likely to be considerable competition from elsewhere in Europe. This is scouting as future-proofing, not reaction.

Departures and shifting priorities

On the outgoing front, Oleksandr Zinchenko appears closest to the exit. The 29-year-old is no longer wanted at Nottingham Forest, and Arsenal are open to facilitating a move, with Ajax discussions covering both loan and permanent options. With his contract expiring in the summer of 2026, “whatever happens, he is unlikely to be back at the Emirates Stadium.”

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Further down the pyramid, academy movement continues, with Braintree Town interested in bringing back Harrison Dudziak and Maldini Kacurri attracting League Two interest. These are small moves, but they form part of a larger ecosystem.

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From an Arsenal supporter’s perspective, this report feels quietly reassuring rather than frustrating. There is often a reflex among fans to equate January spending with ambition, but this reads more like a club that believes its work was done earlier and done well.

There is also something appealing about the patience shown with youth. Nwaneri’s goal for Marseille will be celebrated in north London as much as in France, because it validates the pathway. Loan moves that actually lead to minutes and goals feel more valuable than keeping young players on the fringes.

The summer focus on names like Valdepenas and Belinho suggests Arsenal are thinking two or three windows ahead. That is not always easy for supporters to accept, especially when rivals make noise in January, but it hints at a recruitment model built on timing rather than impulse.

Zinchenko’s likely departure will be met with mixed emotions. He has been an important part of recent squads, but football moves quickly, and his situation reflects how standards have risen. Overall, this feels like a club comfortable with its direction, even if that calm can sometimes be mistaken for complacency.