Arsenal have entered the race to sign Palmeiras wonderkid Vitor Reis, but are facing competition from Real Madrid, Chelsea, Liverpool and Barcelona.

Reis has impressed since making his debut in Brazil’s Serie A earlier this season, earning 11 appearances in the top-flight. His performances saw him handed a new contract in the summer, tying him to Palmeiras until December 2028.

The defender has been compared to PSG’s Marquinhos and Madrid’s Eder Militao in his style of play. While he is yet to earn a senior call-up, he has featured 13 times for Brazil’s youth teams, all of which as captain.

Reis has now caught the eye of several of Europe’s top teams, with a major transfer battle expected to erupt. Chelsea, Liverpool and Barca had expressed an interest, but it is Arsenal and Madrid who are leading the way.

According to The Athletic, both sides have made initial enquiries with both Palmeiras and Reis’ representatives over a potential move. While a formal approach has not been made, Palmeiras have made it clear they are keen to keep the defender until after the 2025 Club World Cup.

There is an £83m release clause in the contract he recently signed though so a deal could be completed sooner. While Arsenal are not short of defenders, the 18-year-old’s potential makes him a target they are keen to sign.

A major roadblock for the Gunners is the fact they already have two top centre-backs in place in Gabriel and William Saliba. But Reis is able to play at right-back, with the Gunners able to present Reis with a similar pathway to the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White.

Madrid meanwhile are keen to sign a centre-back after seeing Leny Yoro pick Manchester United ahead of a move to the Bernabeu. They currently only have two fit central defenders in their squad, with David Alaba still recovering from a serious knee injury.

Amid the intense talk around his future, Reis is attempting to keep his focus on Palmeiras. The youngster is keen to win silverware with the Brazilian side, as he also targets a call-up to the national team as reported by Mirror.co.uk.

“Right now, my thoughts are entirely on Palmeiras and making an impact here. I prefer to take things one day at a time, as I am still quite young and at the beginning of my professional journey,” he told last week.

“My goal is to win titles with Palmeiras and establish myself. Every player dreams of donning the national team’s colors, and I am no exception. Although I’m still young, I have already had my share of opportunities at the youth levels.

“Naturally, I aim for a spot in the first team. That will all depend on how I perform at Palmeiras. I need to contribute fully here, win titles, and then set my sights on other personal goals. With time and experience, I believe I can grow.”