Arsenal see huge offer rejected for Brazilian star — and more

Arsenal Interest Rebuffed as Corinthians Hold Firm on Matheuzinho

Arsenal’s long range scouting network has once again led them to South America. Yet, as reported by RTIESPORTE.COM, Corinthians have drawn a clear line regarding right back Matheuzinho, rejecting two offers including one from the Premier League.

The 25 year old has emerged as a central figure under Dorival Júnior. According to the report, Marcelo Paz believes “It is not the right time to negotiate the defender.”, with the club viewing him as a structural pillar rather than a tradable asset. Arsenal have monitored him since last season, but admiration alone does not shift negotiating positions.

Photo IMAGO

Contract Strength and Internal Priority

Matheuzinho’s contract runs until December 2028. That timeframe alters the dynamic significantly. Corinthians hold leverage, reinforced by a release clause of 100 million euros for international clubs and 50 million euros domestically.

RTIESPORTE.COM outline that the club purchased 60 percent of his economic rights in 2024 for 4 million euros from Flamengo. Since then, he has become a dressing room reference point, described as one of the principal leaders within the squad.

With a congested calendar and Copa Libertadores ambitions, stability has become policy. The report indicates that even proposals offering higher wages abroad have not tempted the player. Corinthians are planning a meeting to discuss salary appreciation and to reinforce the sporting project around him.

Arsenal’s Calculated Watch

For Arsenal, this is familiar territory. Monitoring does not equal immediate escalation. The club have built a reputation for patience, identifying profiles that fit technical and developmental frameworks.

Matheuzinho’s versatility and leadership appeal. Yet with Corinthians signalling that negotiations would only begin at figures approaching the international clause, the pathway is narrow.

At present, the message from São Paulo is unambiguous. Matheuzinho remains central to Dorival Júnior’s plans, and Corinthians have little appetite for compromise.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Arsenal supporters, this report reads as both frustrating and encouraging. Frustrating because the profile is compelling. A 25 year old right back with leadership credentials and Libertadores ambition suggests resilience and maturity. Encouraging because it confirms the club’s recruitment radar remains expansive and proactive.

Fans understand that Arsenal rarely rush negotiations where leverage is limited. A 100 million euro clause places Corinthians in command. Even so, the knowledge that the player has not pushed for a move adds nuance. Arsenal supporters tend to favour targets who demonstrate clarity of intent.

There is also strategic patience to consider. If Arsenal view Matheuzinho as long term depth rather than immediate transformation, timing matters. The club’s hierarchy will not be drawn into inflated bidding for symbolic victories.

Supporters will watch closely. South American recruitment has yielded success before. Whether this evolves into a concrete approach may depend less on desire and more on opportunity.

NEED TO KNOW

• The runner leading the U.S. Half Marathon Championships was guided off the race's course less than two miles from the finish line
• Jess McClain finished ninth, while Molly Born — who was more than a minute off McClain's pace — claimed the top spot and won the $20,000 prize
• USA Track and Field's jury of appeals ruled that it found no reason to alter the results to finish

Distance runner Jess McClain was poised to win a crucial race — until she was mistakenly guided off the course.

On Sunday, March 1, McClain was among scores of runners competing in the 2026 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, all vying for a top-three spot to qualify to represent Team USA in Copenhagen later this year.

That goal appeared well within reach for McClain as she approached the last two miles from of the race, The Athletic reported.

As the frontrunner, McClain was following the lead vehicle supplied by the race's host, Atlanta Track Club.

But then the vehicle erroneously veered off the course, and when McClain realized and returned to the established path, she had run an extra 400 meters (about one fourth of a mile).

McClain arrived at the finish line in ninth place, well behind the race's winner Molly Born — who had been more than a minute off McClain's pace at the time of the error, The Athletic reported. Born was given the $20,000 prize, awarded to the men's and women's winners.

Behind McClain were runners Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat, who had also veered off course. Hurley and Kurgat came in 12th and 13th place, respectively, according to Athletics Illustrated.

Following protestation filings by the impacted athletes, the jury of appeals for USA Track and Field said that it found the half marathon violated a rule that the path should be adequately marked at the point where the lead vehicle and the three runners were misdirected. But the error bears no impact on the results, their statement read.

"However, the jury of appeals finds no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish. The results order of finish as posted is considered final," the jury of appeals concluded.

Runners are responsible for knowing the course, The Athletic reported, citing the race's rules.

USATF emphasized that Atlanta Track Club was charged with supplying and managing the lead vehicles. In its own statement, also released March 1, track club CEO Rich Kenah claimed "full responsibility" for the error.

"Athletes should never have to make a split-second decision between following a pace vehicle or trusting the official course," Kenah stated, adding, "Atlanta Track Club will make best efforts to ensure the affected athletes — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat — are made whole."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Both Atlanta Track Club and USATF are reviewing the events of the half marathon, each organization's statement said.

The final selection for runners representing Team USA in Copenhagen will not officially take place until May, USATF stated. McClain previously represented the United States last year in the World Championship Marathon in Tokyo, where she finished in eighth place.

Read the original article on People