Tottenham target Arthur Dias has now spoken about his future, with the 19-year-old admitting he dreams of playing in the Champions League and one of Europe’s biggest leagues.
The Athletico Paranaense defender has attracted plenty of attention this year. Spurs have even offered €21m (£18.2m) for him, although the Brazilian club turned them down.
Since then, the list of interested clubs has grown considerably. Arthur is well aware of what’s happening around him, and he’s now explained how he’s dealing with it.
Arthur Dias opens up about transfer interest
Speaking to local outlet UmDois Esportes after Athletico’s draw with Atlético-MG, the youngster made it clear he isn’t getting too involved in transfer discussions.
“Those questions about offers and other clubs wanting me, I leave all that to my agent. I’m focused on Athletico and I have a contract to fulfil.”
Asked whether he’d prefer Europe or Saudi Arabia, Arthur didn’t name a particular destination. He did, however, make his ambitions pretty clear.
“Every player dreams of playing in the Champions League and in a huge league, but I’m very focused. I leave that to my agent and I’m very happy to be getting this interest because it means I’m doing an excellent job on the pitch.”
“Without my teammates and the coaching staff, I wouldn’t be where I am. Of course, there’s also my desire to win and my ability, but I’m very happy.”
| Every Tottenham Hotspur signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Sandro Tonali | Newcastle United | £92.5m |
| Mateus Fernandes | West Ham United | £85m |
| Sávio | Manchester City | £75m |
| Jan Paul van Hecke | Brighton | £52m |
| Tosin Adarabioyo | Chelsea | £7m |
| Marcos Senesi | Bournemouth | Free |
| Andy Robertson | Liverpool | Free |
| Martin Dúbravka | Burnley | Free |
| Cole Ramsey | Aston Villa | Free |
Tottenham face a long list of rivals
The competition is becoming quite something. Alongside Tottenham, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have been linked with Arthur.
We knew Barcelona are particularly keen, while Atlético de Madrid, Atalanta, Como, Benfica, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen also feature on the list of interested European clubs in this last update.
Flamengo have been mentioned in Brazil, and Saudi Arabian sides have made enquiries too.
For now, Tottenham remain the club known to have made a substantial offer. But Athletico’s president Mario Celso Petraglia wants at least €30m (£26m) before considering a sale.
That figure could also make Arthur the most expensive academy graduate in the club’s history. The current record belongs to goalkeeper Bento, who joined Al-Nassr for €18m (£15.6m) in 2024. Athletico’s asking price would comfortably beat that.
There’s no indication that a deal is close, and the defender isn’t giving much away about his next move. Still, Tottenham have already shown they’re willing to spend serious money on him.
