£86m Brazilian reaches decision on joining Arsenal amid offer as transfer date is set

Corinthians defender Iago Machado has made a decision on leaving the Brazilian club amid interest from Premier League champions Arsenal, according to reports.

The Gunners spent around £200m on new signings over the summer transfer window with Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa their most expensive additions.

Arsenal saved most of their money to add quality individuals to take them to the next level after winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final last season.

At 24, Christos Tzolis was their youngest signing and now Arsenal are looking to bring in some more prospects ahead of the January transfer window.

And now TMC in Brazil are reporting that Arsenal and other clubs have made ‘offers’ to sign 17-year-old Corinthians defender Machado, who has made two starts for the first team this season.

The report adds: ‘With his good performances, the fans are already expecting him to be a regular starter for the coming seasons. At the same time, the club’s management sees the young player as a potential source of profit in the near future.’

Earlier in 2026, Arsenal and their Premier League rivals Chelsea ‘sent scouts to observe him during the São Paulo Junior Football Cup’ as they keep tabs on his progress.

It is understood that Machado’s release clause is set at €100m (£86m) for clubs outside of Brazil but any transfer will have to wait until after February 17 next year, when he turns 18.

The report continues: ‘Despite the European interest, the Corinthians prodigy’s staff prioritizes him excelling at Parque São Jorge before considering a sale. This information comes from TMC.’

Arsenal already have a host of talented youngsters on their books with talk of Max Dowman, who is perhaps the most impressive, going on loan in January.

‘Football is crying out’ for more players like Arsenal starlet Dowman

Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley would like to see Dowman arrive at Ibrox and he has some advice for the Arsenal prospect.

Speaking to NetBet Casino, Hateley said: “If Max Dowman looks at what Mikey Moore did last year, he was transformed, and I think he sings praises for how Rangers looked after him and his parents.

“Max is in a similar situation. Danny Rohl found a way to play him and get the best out of Mikey Moore at Rangers. I think Derek McInnes would see the good habits he brings from Arsenal, and hopefully he would have a similar impact to what Mikey did from January onwards.

“That’s what football is crying out for now – ballcarriers. Players like Paul Gascoignes, who carry the ball forward and release players ahead of them. I think Max is a similar sort of player, and the game time would do him a lot of good. Coming up to Scotland would toughen him up.”

Hateley added: “I went through this with my son when he was down at Reading. He was in the same youth team as Alex McCarthy and a couple of others being moved up to the first team.

“My son was 17, Alex was 18, and Steve Coppell told my son he wanted him to stay another year and captain the youth team again.

“I was playing in the first team at Coventry as a left winger at that age to get games under my belt, so I said to Steve, ‘youth football’s no good for my son right now, he’s 16 going on 17, built like a man, ready to play against men’.”

“Steve said they didn’t think so. I said, ‘Well, release him then.’ A week later they phoned and agreed. I took him to Tranmere, he played there, then went up to Motherwell, played as a full-back because the regular full-back got injured in the warm-up, played well, stayed there, and then went off to Europe.

“That’s what young players should be doing, going to play. Max Dowman could sit on the bench, train, play in the Carabao Cup, but there’s nothing like actually playing. Go and play.”