Arsenal fans all over the world are buzzing with excitement and nerves because there is big news that the club is now in pole position to sign a player everyone is talking about a player that even Manchester City wanted to get their hands on the summer transfer window is always a time of wild dreams broken hearts last minute drama and deals that can change a club’s future and this year might be the biggest in years for Arsenal because the club knows they are so close to winning the Premier League they can almost taste it they have pushed Manchester City to the very end and now they need those final pieces that will finally help them get over the line and one of those pieces might be the young sensation Rodrigo Mora from Porto the teenager who has been breaking records and turning heads all over Europe this is not just another transfer rumour this is the kind of signing that could define an era and the fact that Arsenal are now seen as favourites to get him ahead of City and United is a huge moment for the clu
But let’s slow down and look at how we got here because it didn’t happen overnight Arsenal and Manchester City are the two giants of English football right now they are fighting tooth and nail for the title and for the best players in the world it’s like a game of chess every move matters every signing is part of a bigger plan and both clubs have very similar scouting profiles they want young technical players with high ceilings who can develop into world-class stars and stay for years and Rodrigo Mora is exactly that he is just 18 years old but already he has done things in Portugal that most players can only dream about he made his senior debut at just 15 years 8 months and 9 days that is ridiculously young to play in a league as competitive as the Portuguese top flight it shows he is not just talented but mature beyond his years
Mora is a classic number 10 but with a modern twist he is creative fast technical and direct he has an eye for goal and a killer instinct in the final third last season alone he scored 10 goals and provided 4 assists for Porto which is incredible for a player his age people compare him to legends like Rui Costa or even Kaka because of his elegance on the ball but he also has that South American fire that makes defenders afraid to dive in he is the kind of player who gets fans off their seats he can split defences with a pass or beat a man one on one he can finish with both feet he is exactly the type of player Arsenal fans love and dream about signing
The fact that Manchester City also wanted him shows how highly rated he is Pep Guardiola is known for being very picky about his signings he doesn’t want just any player he wants the right player the player who fits his system and can handle the demands of playing for a team that wants to win everything every year City even sent scouts to watch Mora at the FIFA Club World Cup they were impressed of course they were because how can you not be impressed but in the end City decided they couldn’t justify the price Porto set at least not right now Porto know what they have they have slapped a €70 million or about £60.3 million release clause on him that is not pocket change even for the richest clubs in the world
City decided to move for Rayan Cherki instead who they got for less money because Lyon were willing to deal and because they also see Cherki as a long-term star that left the door open for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta seems determined to walk through it because Arteta has a vision for this team he is building a squad of young hungry technical players who can press high control the ball and break down low blocks players who can handle the big Champions League nights and also the cold rainy away games in England Mora is perfect for this vision
Sources now say Arsenal are in pole position to sign him they have shown the most interest of any club they have sent scouts multiple times they have talked to Porto they have talked to the player’s people they see this as the kind of statement signing that tells everyone Arsenal are serious about being at the top not just for one season but for many to come Arteta is said to love Mora’s style and believes he can develop him even more just like he has done with Bukayo Saka Gabriel Martinelli Emile Smith Rowe and now Ethan Nwaneri this is the Arteta way find the gems polish them and make them world-class
It’s not just City who are interested though Manchester United have also been watching Mora closely they too see the value in signing one of the hottest young talents in world football they know they need to rebuild they want to get back to challenging for titles and they know getting players like Mora is one way to do it but reports say Arsenal are well ahead of United in this race partly because they moved first and showed real intent and partly because Mora and his team see Arsenal as the best place to develop Porto know they can’t keep him forever they have developed many stars before and sold them for big money that is their model and they will sell Mora if someone pays that release clause
But this is not a deal that is going to be easy or simple £60 million for an 18-year-old is a huge commitment even for a club like Arsenal the fans know that this is a lot of money they remember other big money deals that didn’t work out Nicolas Pepe is the obvious example a player they paid over £70 million for who never really lived up to the price tag but this is different Mora is younger more technical more suited to the modern game and Arsenal are in a stronger position financially than they were back then they have Champions League money they have sold players smartly they have an ownership willing to back the manager they know if they don’t act now they will miss out
There is also the pressure of Manchester City breathing down their neck City don’t give up easily if they see Arsenal closing in they might come back to the table they have the money to blow anyone out of the water if they want to but the question is do they want to right now after signing Cherki they might focus elsewhere but Pep loves to have options he loves to have a deep squad that can rotate and Mora would give him something different so Arsenal cannot take anything for granted they need to move quickly they need to convince Mora they are the right choice
And that is where Arteta comes in because he is Arsenal’s biggest weapon in these negotiations players love him they believe in him he is one of the best young coaches in the world he talks to them about football in detail he tells them exactly how they will fit into his plans he has turned young players into stars look at Saka look at Martinelli look at Saliba look at Rice even players like Kai Havertz who struggled elsewhere have found new life under Arteta that is what Mora and his team are looking at they see a manager who will trust him who will play him who will make him better and that matters especially for a young player moving to another country
Reports say Mora himself is very open to the move he knows it will be hard to say goodbye to Porto it is his home it is the club that gave him his chance but he also knows he is ready for the next step and Arsenal offers him a path to superstardom he can play in the Premier League the best league in the world he can play in the Champions League he can fight for titles he can test himself against the best defenders every week and if he succeeds he will become a household name not just in Portugal but all over the world
There are still things to work out Arsenal need to agree on the payment structure they might try to negotiate a deal that doesn’t pay the full release clause all at once they will want to protect themselves financially Porto will want as much money as possible and as quickly as possible that is how these negotiations work there will be back and forth there will be leaks to the press there will be mind games but the fact remains Arsenal are now seen as favourites they are in pole position and that is a huge shift from just a few weeks ago when City looked like they might swoop in and take him
For Arsenal fans this is exciting but also stressful because they know these deals can collapse at any moment they have seen it before but there is also real hope because this is a club that is doing things the right way they are not just buying old players for short-term fixes they are building for the long term they want to be at the top for many years not just one they want to be like City but with their own style their own players their own identity and signing someone like Mora is a big part of that plan
It also sends a message to the rest of the league to City to United to Liverpool to Chelsea that Arsenal are not messing around they are going toe to toe with the richest clubs for the best players and they are winning those battles that changes perceptions it makes other players want to come it makes sponsors want to invest it makes the fans believe even more and that belief is powerful it can turn close defeats into victories it can push a team over the line in a title race
So now all eyes are on Arsenal and what they do next will they pay the release clause will they negotiate a deal will they get it done quickly so Mora can join preseason and start learning the Arteta way or will they wait and risk losing him to City or United or even someone else in Europe Porto are in no rush they know they have a gem they know someone will pay eventually but Arsenal want to be the club that does it first and gets the benefit of having one of the brightest talents in world football in their squad
This is what it means to be a big club this is the pressure this is the excitement this is the drama of the transfer window and for Arsenal fans it is all too familiar but this year feels different this year they are not shopping for the sake of it they are making smart moves Declan Rice last year Kai Havertz Jurrien Timber David Raya now they want Mora and if they get him it will be another step towards making Arsenal champions again
The race is on and it is Arsenal who are in front for now but nothing is done until it’s done and that is why the fans will keep refreshing their phones keep checking the news keep hoping that soon they will see the words they want to see Arsenal sign Rodrigo Mora from Porto deal agreed medical booked contract signed because that is the moment all this dreaming will become reality and a new chapter will begin for the club they love so much
