Arsenal are set to complete the signing of Marquinhos from Sao Paulo for a lowly fee, and the club have claimed that their hand was forced.
The Brazilian club are claimed to have agreed a five-year deal with their wonderkid previously, only for FIFA to refuse to accept it due to the player’s age at the time, with under-18 players only allowed to sign on for a maximum of three years.
The player has taken full advantage of the club’s failings to push for the exit door, and Arsenal are set to reap the benefits by signing one of the best young talents in Brazil for a reported £3 Million fee.
“The Marquinhos issue is a well-known issue,” Sao Paulo president Casares told Globo Esporte.
“He didn’t want to stay. We tried everything. Even before the game against Racing, he didn’t want to stay. It was a contractual issue.
“We came from a pandemic. The (January) window was very conservative. The market felt (the impact). It looks like it is now on the mend.”
We will be hoping that Marquinhos can have a similar impact to that of Gabriel Martinelli, although he may have trouble breaking into the side considering he predominantly plays in the same position as his international counterpart, while Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe also operate in the role, and with the possibility of a top forward coming in this summer who could also be competing for a similar role in the side.
European football next season could well bring opportunities for younger players who are deserving of the chance to prove their worth to the team, although it remains to be seen whether a loan move could be on the cards for him should we manage to complete his signature, but all reports seem to claim that this one is all-but done already.
Would a loan move make sense given our wealth of young talent on the wings at present? Could he be earmarked for a potential first-team role already?
Patrick