Pedro Botelho is the latest Arsenal player to be caught up in an international tug-of-war, after both the Brazilian and Spanish Football Federations signalled their interest in calling up the youngster.
Botelho, on loan to Segunda outfit FC Cartagena, was born in Brazil but has spent the last four years in Spain, as he bids to earn Spanish citizenship and then complete his move to Arsenal. However, his superb performances with Cartagena have caught the eye and both countries are now planning their next moves.
Pedro is on the cusp of the Brazilian Under 20 squad, and coach Ney Franco has already confirmed his desire to include the versatile prospect in his squad for January’s South American Under 20 Championships. The Spanish Federation are also willing to make their move, and are planning to send their Under 21 manager Luis Milla to speak with Botelho about the future.
The 21-year-old spoke to Marca earlier in the week, but refused to commit to either country. Pedro is expected to earn Spanish citizenship in the summer, making him eligible to move to Arsenal. His performances in Spain have won many admirers, and with just 18 months left on his contract, speculation of a move is rife.
The player himself has talked down a move, however, but did leave the door open by saying he would leave the transfer situation to agent Santiago Gerardo. The future is finally looking bright.
Hey Jamie, i haven’t quite understood the move part. A move away from Arsenal? How would you describe his perfomances this season?
Me 2 cnt undestand the transfer thing is it away from Arsenal?
He wouldn’t seriously move after spending 4 years on loan, and never even trying on an Arsenal shirt! He’s got to be mad to do that!
Apologies. Yes, because he’s been brilliant this season, a lot of clubs are interested in him.
‘The player himself has talked down a move, however, but did leave the door open by saying he would leave the transfer situation to agent Santiago Gerardo. The future is finally looking bright’
um…for whom? cant be for us,if he isnt signing on.
Pedro could be an important addition to the squad, especially if he can chase back and press, because we really need someone in that mould in the left back position. What do you know about his defensive skills, J?
Move to brazil guys. If he moves to Brazil he wont get a EU citizenship and he cant join Arsenal. So if he waits a year more and get a citizenship at Spain, he cant play for Brazil. Thats the dilemma.
No his talking about which country to represent.. He just needs a citizenship from Spain to move to Arsenal FC, but brazil want him to represent them assuming his Brazilian born. Anyway he has worn an arsenal shirt, just go to arsenal websit look for his name in the reserve squad
This boy needs a chance at arsenal but he could also be a traore, i would love him at the club next season
This player is a 6 ft 4 kiren gibbs ,
Strong ,fast ,and a good crosser of the ball
.If he comes back next year i think arsen
Will sale clichy and make him and gibbs fight
It out for the left back spot,they both can play
On the wing aswell.
If I was his coach, I will try for a dual passort from both countries and reserve the decision for another time.
Ok! We are now in FIFA’s bad books, but what about the special talent award for young players with exceptional talent.
I have never seen him play so I cant say that he’s good or bad
but in 16 games he has played for FC Cartagena, he has scored 2 goals and has one assists
for a defender those are good stats but for a winger I think he would need to improve quite a lot to break into arsenal first team
as for him replacing Clichy are you guys serious
P.S Sanderson hazard wants to come to arsenal but is wenger interested and if he is where will he fit him
for people who want to watch bothelo in action the match starts in 5 minutes and here’s the link
http://www.rojadirecta.org/goto/tvdeporte.blogspot.com/
I hope this doesnt become a nordtveit type situation
arsenal should tie him up now so that he doesn’t leave us one season after finally joining us. Don’t want another Nordtveit situation
i like what i’ve seen from this kid, so i really hope we tie him down for a good few years.
losing merida, then nordveit, now possibly this kid, is unacceptable. pull your socks up arsenal.
off-topic, but how is it that we can so easily sign a japanese schoolboy, but we can’t sign a player who plays for the brasilian champions???
Jamie, you say ‘the future is finally looking bright’ at the end just after you talk about this kid possibly moving…
do you want shot of this kid? or have i misunderstood?
Gibbs or Botelho? Hmm, I’d take Gibbs any day of the week. I can’t stand Pedro’s arrogance, although he’d fit in quite nicely in the Arsenal trend. Adebayor, Gallas,…
He’s 21 so won’t be eligible to play for Brazil U20s.
But he would be able to play for Spain U21s.
Cartagena have won 5-2 and botelho had a great game once again and got at least one assist by what i have read
“but how is it that we can so easily sign a japanese schoolboy, but we can’t sign a player who plays for the brasilian champions???” – that’s a good question, but the answer probably wouldn’t be a nice one. I can only think of that Wellington is too good a player, and the decesion men at FIFA (who are probably, French, Spanish etc.) wouldn’t like to see him at Arsenal. That’s it.
There was talk last year about restricting the flow of Brazilians into Europe at such a young age in a bid to reduce the chances of them playing for other countries (see Eduardo at Croatia). I think it was Sepp Blatter speaking.
There has always been a restriction on British clubs signing Brazilian players; this has been the case for years.
The move meaning that he will get EU citizenship with Spain and in turn will finally be able to join Arsenal’s squad.
I think he’d be stupid to commit to Brazil before he became eligible to play for Spain because then he would never be able to represent the Spanish nation.
FIFA says that you can only change alliances if you could have chosen the other nation at the time when you first played for the other nation’s youth squad in an official competition.
So Botelho could play for Spain’s under 21’s and still be eligible to play for Brazil’s senior squad in the future.
But if he played for Brazil’s youth set up before he were eligible for Spanish citizenship, then he would never be able to play for Spain.
Er, no. He can get Spanish citizenship AND represent Brazil – that is the case for several South American players plying their trade in Spain. Cases in point: Dani Alves et all. It’s not too difficult to do some research on this, or hell, you could even play Football Manager.
How could the 21 YEAR OLD play in the UNDER 20 South Amercian championships?
If he’s 21, he’s allowed to play in the championships. A year or so difference is permitted in such competitions.
not in the u20s. The european u21 is ran different.
@hiroshi, I meant if Botelho played for the Brazilian under 20’s before he were eligible for Spanish nationality, then in the future when he does get Spanish nationality, he would only be eligible to play for Brazil, and not Spain on the senior level.