Arsenal in battle with Chelsea to sign River Plate prodigy Ian Subiabre

Info Trend Wave March 03, 2025

Arsenal and Chelsea have held talks over a possible deal to sign River Plate’s highly rated winger Ian Subiabre in the summer, according to Caughtoffside.

The teenager is one of the hottest emerging prospects in South America. His standout displays at the recently concluded South America U20 Championships, where he scored three goals for Argentina, have placed him on the radar of several top European clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.

Now, according to Caughtoffside, Arsenal and Chelsea are ‘monitoring’ the development of Subiabre at the Argentine club, River Plate. The London clubs have held talks with the 18-year-old’s entourage, but no offer has been presented at this time.

For Chelsea, their interest aligns with their continued focus on recruiting young South American talents, having already secured prospects like Andrey Santos, Estevao Willian, Kendry Paez, and David Washington, according to the report.

On the other hand, the report adds that Arsenal are looking to reinforce their attacking options on the wing and have now earmarked the Argentina U20 star as a possible target.

Argentine prodigy

However, a host of top European clubs, including Benfica, Aston Villa, Villarreal, and West Ham United, have indicated interest in the youngster who is valued at €30m (£24m), as per the report.

Subiabre’s contract at the Estadio Mâs Monumental will run out in 2026, and Caughtoffside claims that the 38-time Argentine champions are willing to cash in on the player if his £24m valuation is met.

The Premier League has witnessed a flurry of Argentine talents in recent seasons. The likes of Claudio Echeverri, Máximo Perrone, Aaron Anselmino, and Valentine Barco, who joined Strasbourg in the winter, are some of the biggest young talents from Argentina to join the league.

Subiabre could be the next to make a move to England as he’s being courted by both Arsenal and Chelsea.

The teenager has immense potential and could become one of the most exciting players to grace the league.

However, the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea will need to be proactive as a host of top European clubs are also in the race to sign the Argentine prodigy.