Arsenal is keeping a close eye on the South American market for prospective summer signings, and a Peruvian full-back has attracted their interest as a possible target.
Because of the difficulty in obtaining visas in Europe and the more favourable currency exchange rates on the other side of the Atlantic, South America has become a more appealing market to pursue than Europe as a result of Brexit.
According to Football.London, this has led Arsenal to the Peruvian league and full-back Lora of Sporting Cristal.
Most Arsenal supporters would be unfamiliar with the 21-year-old, but he has already earned six caps for Peru after excelling for Cristal since his debut in 2019.
His contract with Cristal expires in 2023, therefore he’ll be available at a bargain compared to the European markets where Arsenal generally shops.
Explaining the shift in focus form Europe to South America, lawyer Maria Patsalos told iNews: “There’s been a shift because of Brexit.
‘It’s multifaceted. Brexit and the subsequent changes to visa rules to bring in footballers has made it easier than before for players outside of Europe to come to the UK and harder for Europeans.
‘The currency exchange means it’s cheaper to buy in South America than Europe. The combination has created the perfect storm. There has been a shift in focus from easy European wins to looking at South America.’