Who is Pablo Maia? The Brazilian starlet chased by Arsenal

Cameron Smith

• 22 Dec 2023 15:48 CST
• 3 min read

Arsenal’s hunt for a new defensive midfielder has seen them identify Sao Paulo wonderkid Pablo Maia as a key transfer target ahead of the January window.

The Brazilian is one of the most impressive talents in South American football and he has been touted for a move to Europe in 2024.

FootballTransfers understand that Maia is being considered by Mikel Arteta’s side, with the midfielder potentially set to become the Gunners’ replacement for Thomas Partey, who has been linked with an exit.

But who is Maia, how good is he and what other clubs are interested?

What position does Pablo Maia play?

Maia is a defensive midfielder, who can play as a central midfielder or slightly more advanced if necessary.

How good is Pablo Maia?

Maia is regarded as one of the hottest prospects in Brazilian football, on par with fellow Premier League targets Gabriel Moscardo (Corinthians) and Andre Trindade (Fluminense).

He is a specialist control-setting midfield, who excels at distributing the ball from deep areas and helping progress it into advanced positions.

Although he typically operates in a defensive midfield role, Maia is still proficient in the final-third and he scored four goals in 32 league games during the 2023 Brazilian top flight season.

He was regular in Sao Paulo’s first-team in the 2022 campaign too (at 20 years old) and was entrusted with being the fulcrum of the Brazilian side despite his young age.

His defensive positioning is excellent, while he is also brilliant at retaining the ball under pressure - press resistance is at the forefront of everything he does.

Maia is also an aggressive defensive presence and has previously been likened to Real Madrid legend Casemiro, who also came through at Sao Paulo.

His ball-striking is excellent and a number of his goals for Sao Paulo have been long-range efforts into the top corner.

All in all, Maia is a top prospect and he’s expected to achieve big things in Europe.

What clubs are interested in Pablo Maia?

Arsenal are the primary club interested in Maia, as exclusively reported by FootballTransfers. We understand he is seen as an alternative to Douglas Luiz and Joao Palhinha.

Newcastle, West Ham and Fulham have all been linked too.

How old is Pablo Maia?

Maia was born on January 10, 2002. He is 21 years old at the time of writing.

When does Pablo Maia’s contract expire?

Maia’s contract at Sao Paulo runs until 2027.

What is Pablo Maia’s Instagram?

Maia’s Instagram account is @pablo_maia02. He has 443k followers as of December 2023.