Brighton may have to be patient if they want Jordan Arnolin. Estoril have no plans to let the 18-year-old defender leave in January, and the boy himself seems quite happy where he is.

The Seagulls have been following the Portuguese youngster, with Barcelona and Lille also interested. All three clubs have been keeping a close eye on his development.

But there’s a bit of a problem for anyone hoping to get him in the winter window. Neither Estoril nor Arnolin is particularly keen on making that happen.

Brighton target happy to stay at Estoril

Portuguese newspaper Record bring the latest on Arnolin’s situation today, and it’s pretty clear where everyone stands.

Estoril want to keep the centre-back until at least the end of the season. And according to the newspaper’s information, the player has no intention of pushing for a January exit either.

He’s happy at the club, where he’s been since joining from Sintrense in the summer of 2020. That should give Estoril some peace of mind, especially with three foreign clubs already watching him.

There’s also the small matter of his contract. Arnolin signed an extension last summer, keeping him at Estoril until 2029. So there’s no immediate pressure to sell, and the player isn’t exactly knocking on the door asking to leave.

Plenty of interest, but no rush

Since our previous coverage, there’s been more evidence of his growing involvement at Estoril. The 18-year-old has now made five appearances for the senior team this season, along with one for the U23s.

He’s also continuing to develop internationally. Born in Lisbon and also holding French nationality, Arnolin has already represented Portugal’s youth teams ten times, scoring twice.

Five of those appearances have come for the U19s, where he has one goal. He was an unused substitute in Portugal’s 1-0 win over Lithuania on Thursday, as they continued their qualification campaign for the 2027 European Championship.

Arnolin is currently away with the national team, and his immediate future appears to be back at Estoril once international duty is over.

Brighton can keep watching, of course. Barcelona and Lille probably will too. The difference now is that there’s a clearer idea of when Arnolin might actually be available.

January doesn’t look promising, and Estoril have a contract until 2029 to back up their position.