Following official club confirmation, Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli sent a message on his Instagram account welcoming new signing Marquinhos.
The Gunners confirmed the 19-year-old’s signing on Monday afternoon through a club statement.
The contract is expected to be a four-year deal with a one-year extension option for around £3 million. Marquinhos was part of the Sao Paolo side that won the Campeonato Paulista in 2021.
Martinelli soon welcomed his fellow Brazilian Marquinhos to the Gunners. “Welcome brother, we are together,” the 20-year-old wrote in his post.
Martinelli moved from Brazil to England in 2019 and will be ready to help the club’s new South American star. Marquinhos posted a farewell message to Sao Paulo on Instagram, thanking the club and supporters and stating that he will ‘never not be a fan’ of the Brazilian franchise.
The Brazilian attacker has played for his country at the under-16 and under-17 levels and will begin preseason training with his new colleagues. Several of Marquinhos’ compatriots already play at the Emirates, and Martinelli welcomed the young forward immediately after announcing the transfer.
Despite missing out on Champions League football, according to an article published on vwinsportsth.com, Arsenal are likely to have a busy summer transfer window, with Mikel Arteta aiming to bolster his offensive options. Matt Turner and Marquinhos have already joined the Emirates, while Alexandre Lacazette, Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Mateo Guendouzi departed upon their respective deals’ expiry.
The Brazilian is mostly deployed as a winger, although he can also play as a center-forward. He’s left-footed and can play on either wing, though his favorite position is out on the right, where he can use his stronger foot to cut inside.
He’ll be trying to make an immediate impact in red and white. While Arsenal fans will be keen to see how he begins his career with the club, they may also be more interested in learning what number he will wear.
Marquinhos wore the No.17 shirt for Sao Paulo, but he will not be wearing it at the Emirates Stadium. That is because Cedric Soares already owns it, and the Portuguese defender is unlikely to give it up anytime soon, given his plans to stay in north London.
The club is also looking for a midfielder, with Leicester’s Youri Tielemans and Bologna defender Aaron Hickey also mentioned. Tielemans is believed to have informed his club of his intentions to leave this season.
Lucas Torreira, Nicolas Pepe, Hector Bellerin, Pablo Mari, and Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ futures are all up in the air heading into the next season. There is an urgent need for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to be replaced, with Gabriel Jesus of Manchester City being extensively linked with a transfer to north London, a move that may see another Brazilian join Arteta’s side.
However, bringing Jesus to the Emirates will not be easy, given that Arsenal are not involved in the European Champions League this coming season. Jesus would be a guaranteed starter under Arteta, but joining Arsenal from City would be viewed as a downgrade. Several clubs in Italy are believed to be watching his situation.
