Arsenal are preparing to submit a formal offer to sign highly rated Argentine starlet Tomas Aranda from Boca Juniors this summer, according to Parma Live.
The 19-year-old rose through the youth ranks at Boca Juniors’ famous academy that has produced the likes of Leandro Paredes, Valentin Barco, and Cristian Medina, who are all at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, while others like Éver Banega, Carlos Tevez, and Nicolás Burdisso all came through the ranks at the club.
After impressing with the youth sides, Aranda made his professional first-team debut under former coach Claudio Úbeda in a 2–1 Primera División defeat to Estudiantes de La Plata on 28 January 2026.
After a series of substitute appearances, he was handed his first start against San Lorenzo, where he impressed and has not looked back since, going on to make 22 appearances for the club and earning the moniker ‘new Lionel Messi’.
His impressive performances at club level earned him a senior call-up to Argentina’s national team in June and made his debut in the friendly 2-0 win over Honduras.
Aranda’s displays have also not gone unnoticed by top European clubs, as Parma Live reports that Como, Parma and Arsenal have recently been linked with the youngster.
Exciting prospect
However, it appears the Premier League champions are looking to steal a march on the Serie A clubs, with the Italian outlet adding that the Gunners are ‘ready’ to submit a formal offer in excess of £17m to sign the attacking midfielder this summer.
Aranda’s metrics from the Argentine league highlight why Arsenal are willing to invest a significant fee to secure his signature.
The Argentine averages 2.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, the highest figure among current Boca Juniors players, while his 14 chances created rank third in the squad.
His work without possession is equally impressive. Averaging 8.6 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, the talented youngster demonstrates an exceptional defensive work rate for an attacking midfielder.
From Arsenal’s perspective, pursuing Aranda would also align with the club’s recent recruitment policy, which has placed a strong emphasis on nurturing and providing opportunities to young players, having handed debuts to the likes of Max Dowman, Marli Solomon, Andre Harriman Annous, Ife Ibrahim, Brando Bailey-Joseph and Marli Salmon.
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