"He reminds me of Rodri" – Arsenal and Newcastle chasing €20m bargain

Arsenal and Newcastle are monitoring Cruzeiro's 17-year-old midfielder Eduardo Pape, who cannot move to the UK until summer 2025 when he turns 18.

Arsenal and Newcastle United are among several European clubs tracking Cruzeiro youngster Eduardo Pape, a 17-year-old Brazilian midfielder who has impressed in the club's youth setup and Brazil U18 team despite not yet making his first-team debut.

Pape joined Cruzeiro from lower division Azuriz in 2024 and made 32 U20 appearances last year, scoring three goals and providing three assists. He can operate as a No. 8 or defensive midfielder. Cruzeiro director of youth development Adilson Batista compared him to Rodri and Falcão, praising his intelligence, anticipation and build-up play.

Chelsea, Manchester City and Bournemouth showed interest earlier in the year, with Bayern Munich also monitoring. Cruzeiro hold 70% of his rights, with his contract running until December 2029 and a €100m release clause for foreign clubs. Azuriz president Nelson Ramos expects Pape to become Cruzeiro's record sale at €20–25m, surpassing Geovanni's €18–20m move to Barcelona in 2001. However, Pape cannot move to the UK until next summer when he turns 18.