Spanish giants Barcelona are reportedly ready to rival Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign a top Brazilian defensive talent, with the north London side already having an offer for his services rejected.

Despite adding the likes of Andy Robertson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi and Tosin Adarabioyo to the club’s defensive ranks over the summer, Spurs remain on the hunt for elite young talent to future-proof their squad.

And one such player who has emerged on their radar for 2027 is highly-regarded Athletico Paranaense star Arthur Dias.

Indeed, our sources reported in mid-September that Tottenham were frontrunners to snap up the impressive 19-year-old central defender.

The north London club are reported to have previously offered around €21million (£17.6m / $23.5m) for 80% of Dias’ rights. However, Athletico Paranaense rejected the proposal.

The Brazilian outfit are said to value the defender at around the €30m (£25m / $33.6m) mark, showing how highly they rate his potential.

And now a report from SPORT claims that Spurs are positioning themselves for another move for Dias in January, although Barcelona are also weighing up their own move.

Barcelona battling Tottenham to Brazilian talent

The report states that the Catalan side, under Deco and Joao Amaral, have ‘expanded their scouting network’ and are ‘aiming to sign foreign starlets early in their development’.

The likes of Hamza Abdelkarim and Jesse Bisiwu are too notable investments for Barcelona, and now Brazilian Dias has also emerged on the club’s radar.

It’s claimed that Barca have actually monitored Dias for several months, but are yet to make a concrete move, while Tottenham’s interest has ‘complicated matters’ due to the ‘financial resources available to Premier League clubs’.

TEAMtalk previously reported how the likes of Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have also been monitoring the Athletico Paranaense star, whose current contract runs until 2028.

His recent inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s senior Brazil squad has also enhanced his reputation, working in the club’s favour in terms of how much they can fetch for his services.

In terms of Barcelona’s interest, Dias possesses several qualities that make him an attractive option for Barcelona’s system, especially under Hansi Flick.

The 6ft 2in defender is naturally left-footed, strong in possession and comfortable playing out from the back, while he can also fill in at left-back if needed.

The report adds that his physical profile could ‘perfectly complement Pau Cubarsi’, giving the Spanish giants a ‘partnership that could hold the fort for the next decade’.

However, it looks unlikely that Barca would splash out as much as €30m (£25m / $33.6m) on an unproven talent, leaving Tottenham in a strong position to strike a deal of their own.

One to keep an eye then in January, although our understanding is that Spurs’ main focus in the winter window will be on trying to land Roberto De Zerbi a new No.9, with a free-agent frontman well in their sights.

Meanwhile, our sources have revealed that a move for an Eintracht Frankfurt striker is also on the cards for January.