Palmeiras see Arthur as untouchable in the squad, details | OneFootball

Palmeiras finished the first part of the 2026 season with the Paulista title, leading the Brazilian Championship and qualified for the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil and the Conmebol Libertadores.

Despite the good results on the pitch, Verdão had to go through several changes due to injuries, especially at left-back.

Injury problems at Palmeiras

An undisputed starter, Piquerez underwent surgery in early April after suffering an ankle injury in Uruguay’s friendly against England. The Uruguayan sped up his recovery process with an eye on playing in the World Cup and was unavailable for Palmeiras through a long stretch of matches.

Jefté, signed in 2025 to be the immediate backup in the position, struggled with muscle problems and, last Sunday (7), underwent surgery after twisting his right knee during the match against Chapecoense.

In the best-case scenario, the player may only be available to Abel Ferreira again at the end of the season.

Youth academy steps up

Because of the injuries to Piquerez and Jefté, Arthur, a Palmeiras youth academy product, took over as a starter and had to deliver a quick response for the Alviverde side. Despite the pressure, the youngster stood out and was important in crucial matches in April and May.

After the World Cup, coach Abel Ferreira will have a difficult decision to make for the position: keep the Academy graduate in the starting 11 or opt for Piquerez, the team’s former first-choice left-back.

Arthur received offers at the start of the season, but turned them down while dreaming of an opportunity with Palmeiras’ first team. NOSSO PALESTRA has learned that, at this moment, the club’s board sees the player as untouchable. That stance would only change in the event of offers considered “irresistible.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.