Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Marquinhos from Sao Paolo. The Brazilian winger becomes the Gunners' first piece of business this summer and arrives on what football.london understands to be a five year contract for a fee believed to be in the region of £3million.
The arrival of Marquinhos will not have any impact on the rest of Arsenal's summer transfer plans. football.london understands that the Gunners are keen to bring in a striker with Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus high on the agenda. The club are also targeting a midfielder, with Youri Tielemans of Leicester among those linked, while Bologna defender Aaron Hickey also being targeted.
Below, football.london takes a closer look at what kind of player Arsenal will be getting and how he will fit in at the Emirates Stadium.
READ MORE: Arsenal confirm first summer transfer as Marquinhos joins from Sao Paolo
Who is Marquinhos?
Marquinhos is a talented 19-year-old who mainly operates as a winger - but he can also play through the centre. He is left-footed and is comfortable on either wing, although his preferred role is wide out on the right so he can cut inside on his favoured foot.
The youngster has also represented Brazil at youth level. He made three appearances for the under-17s and four appearances for the under-16s, where he scored one goal.
Why do Arsenal want him?
Marquinhos made his first team debut for Sao Paolo last year and has gone on to make 41 appearances, scoring four times and making three assists. He was also part of the squad who won the Compeonato Paulista in 2021.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping he has a similar impact to Gabriel Martinelli, who is now a first-team regular at the Emirates Stadium. Bukayo Saka will also require an understudy, and with Nicolas Pepe’s exit looking ever more likely, there is certainly an opportunity for Marquinhos to stake his claim.
What has been said?
“We’re delighted to have completed the transfer with Sao Paulo, as Marquinhos was a player we had been watching for a while," said technical director Edu. "At 19, he is still very young, so he is a player for the future. We look forward to Marquinhos now joining us for pre-season, making his new home, and continuing to grow and develop with us.”
