Carlo Ancelotti did not pretend to know who Arthur Dias was before the international break. By the end of it, the Brazil manager had seen enough.

Dias had a short run-out against Australia and then partnered Marquinhos from the start in Kolkata on 3 October, lasting 61 minutes of a 4-0 win over India at the Salt Lake Stadium. Estêvão, Pedro and a Samuel Lino double did the scoring.

Ancelotti was not shy with the verdict afterwards.

“He did well. He’s a footballer I didn’t know, and I really liked what I saw from him,” he said after the final whistle, adding that Brazil had a future “despite the criticism that there is”.

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Dias was no less direct about his own reaction to the call-up.

“The moment I saw my name there, I was very happy, very joyful, very pleased,” he told reporters.

Barcelona had a man in Curitiba

Barcelona’s interest is already more than a line in a column. Head of scouting Joao Amaral was spotted in Curitiba to watch Dias in a Brasileirão fixture against Bahia at the Arena da Baixada, a scouting trip Goal reported before the Brazil call-up came through.

The profile fits what Hansi Flick’s side has been scanning for: a left-footed centre-back who can start build-up play from either side of the central pairing.

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Tottenham already turned away

Barcelona are not alone, and they are not even first in the queue. Tottenham Hotspur have had an offer worth more than 120 million reais (around £17.5m/€20.5m) rejected by Athletico Paranaense, with Como, Newcastle United and Benfica also tracking the defender, according to the Catalan outlet that first flagged the Barcelona scouting trip, Barça Universal.

Any formal January move would have to clear a long queue of interested clubs and a Brazilian side that has already said no once. Dias is under contract at Athletico Paranaense until 2028, and Barcelona have not submitted a bid.

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