Arsenal and Chelsea show strong interest in Sao Paulo star as scouts share positive feedback: Reports

Arsenal and Chelsea are both monitoring Sao Paulo star William Gomes ahead of a potential permanent transfer, according to Caught Offside.

Gomes, 18, has emerged as one of the best offensive prospects in Brazil since his debut for Sao Paulo last November. The left-footed star is adept at operating either as a wide operator or an attacking midfielder.

According to the aforesaid website, Sao Paulo are of the opinion that Gomes could be signed by an European team in the near future. Both Arsenal and Chelsea have received positive scout reports in the recent past.

Should Gomes decide to move to Arsenal, he would emerge as a potential backup for Bukayo Saka. On the other hand, the Brazilian would act as a rotational option behind Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto at Chelsea.

Gomes, who has a deal until December 2028 at Sao Paulo, has started five of his 15 overall appearances for his boyhood club. He has found the back of the net two times in 542 minutes of first-team action so far.

Ex-Chelsea star hits out at Arsenal forward

Earlier this month, Arsenal superstar Kai Havertz attracted the ire of Chelsea fans. He gestured the home crowd to stay quiet after scoring a disallowed goal in a 1-1 league draw between his club and the Blues.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, ex-Blues midfielder John Obi Mikel shared his thoughts on the German forward's shushing gesture on November 10. He said (h/t FootBoom):

"Looking back at it, if he wakes up this morning, I think it's just the adrenaline and passion of the game that made him do that, but I still think it's a bit disrespectful to a club that you've played for and won trophies for."

Mikel, who represented the Blues from 2006 to 2017, continued:

"When I played for Chelsea, I wasn't the most liked player. Some of the fans didn't appreciate me as much as they should. But that didn't stop me from loving the club and doing my job."

Claiming Havertz's gesture was disrespectful, the Nigerian added:

"If you leave the football club and come back, and score, I think you should still show some respect. You can still celebrate, but not shush the fans. I don't know the reason why that happened, but for me, it was a little bit disrespectful."

Havertz, who joined Arsenal in a £65 million transfer in 2023, has registered seven goals and one assist in 17 total matches for his club this season.