Arsenal sign Marquinhos from Sao Paulo – But search for new No.9 is only just beginning

Jesus or Abraham? 

This article originally appeared on June 11 and has been updated after the Marquinhos deal was made official. 

Arsenal have announced the first summer signing. On Monday, the North London have announced that they have signed Marquinhos from Sao Paulo in a deal worth around €3.5 million. The 19-year-old forward has made a name for himself at the Brazilian giants over the past two seasons, where he has played predominantly as a wide forward and bagged four goals and three assists in 41 appearances, the vast majority of which have come as late substitute appearances. 

Update June 11: “We’re delighted to have completed the transfer with Sao Paulo, as Marquinhos was a player we had been watching for a while,” technical director Edu said in a club statement. “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.”

However, while Marquinhos may go on to be a successful signing for Mikel Arteta’s side, in the short-term he’ll almost certainly be put on a development plan and likely loaned out to another European club to pick up game time next season. Which means Arsenal will likely still be on the hunt for new strikers even once the Brazilian talent has signed on the dotted line. 

Jesus, Abraham or Raphinha – Arsenal’s complicated hunt for a new striker 

There’s no doubt that Arsenal will be in desperate need to sign a new striker this summer, with a number of big hitters leaving the club over the past 12 months. Not only did Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang depart for Barcelona in the January transfer window, but Alexandre Lacazette has also confirmed that he’ll be leaving the club imminently when his own contract comes to an end. As things stand, Arsenal have no strikers in their senior squad ahead of next season. However, before Arsenal fans begin to panic, it’s worth noting that the club have been linked with a number of established strikers and many of them would likely be smart options for Arteta’s team next season. So let’s run through some of the most likely candidates to replace Lacazette & Co. next season. 

Undoubtedly, the biggest and perhaps most likely deal at this moment in time is Arsenal’s reported interest in Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus. The Brazil international is likely to push for a move this summer, following the arrival of Erling Haaland and Julián Álvarez, with Arsenal reportedly leading the chase for the Premier League talisman. Experience in the English top flight seems to be key for Arsenal, with the club being linked to other No.9s that have already proven their worth in the division. According to the Daily Telegraph, Leeds United forward Raphinha remains a transfer target for the club, while Roma striker Tammy Abraham has found his own name linked with a move to the Emirates due to recent comments from the striker suggesting a return to England is on his to-do list. 

If Arsenal can’t land any of these top-tier talents, they do apparently still have other options. Football London have suggested that Arteta & Co. may find a quick compromise in loaning Burnley striker Wout Weghorst ahead of next season, while the Daily Express believe that the club have already had a €40m bid for Sassuolo forward Gianluca Scamacca rejected. 

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