Internacional striker Yuri Alberto has been reported as an Arsenal target and the Premier League heavyweights might need to pay as much as £22m to sign himaccording to the latest news coming out of the media.

Former Corinthians midfielder Edu Gaspar is the technical director at Arsenal and he knows the Brazilian market. To this effect, the former Corinthians of Brazil star has set his sights on securing the transfer of Yuri Alberto from Internacional in his native Brazil. Edu was part of the Arsenal squad that went through the whole of the 2003/04 Premier League season without a single defeat and he has been heavily involved in the recruitment at Arsenal over the last two years.

Arsenal have taken advantage of the Brazilian market to good effect in the past thanks to former Corinthians player Edu and they might go that route once again with Yuri Alberto. Edu was the man who orchestrated the signing of Spanish defender Pablo Mari from Brazilian Serie A giants Flamengo in addition to the transfer of exciting attacker Gabriel Martinelli from Brazilian lower league side Ituano to Arsenal.

While Pablo Mari is no longer a regular in the Arsenal  first team, Martinelli is in the thick of things in the team and he was on target in the last Arsenal game, a 2-0 home win over London rivals West Ham United in the Premier League. Martinelli opened the scoring three minutes into the second half after a goalless first half before Arsenal substitute Emile Smith-Rowe wrapped up the win with three minutes left on the clock. The Gunners were impressive against a West Ham  United side whom they replaced in fourth spot on the league table thanks to the win.

It must be pointed out that Arsenal are not the only ones keen on signing Yuri Alberto from Internacional. Russian champions Zenit Saint  Petersburg are also interested in him.