Brazilian side Cruzeiro have taken forgotten Arsenal winger Marquinhos off the north Londoners’ hands for one year as the player will move to South America on a loan deal. This is as per reports from GeGlobo, which add that the player had arrived in Belo Horizonte on January 4 to undergo the necessary medical tests and formalities to make the move official.
Marquinhos came to Arsenal from Sao Paulo in 2022 as one of the most highly-rated wingers in the country at the time. However, an inability to adjust to English conditions combined with others being picked ahead of him, he failed to establish himself in the first team. He has made just six senior appearances for the Gunners, scoring one and assisting one goal.
Due to his lack of playing time at a developmental stage in his career, Arsenal sent him out on loan to Norwich City, Nantes and then Fluminense, with hopes of reviving the form that once earned him wide acclaim. Now, his latest spell with Cruzeiro is expected to galvanize the 21-year-old’s career as he enters the next phase.
Why did Marquinhos’ time at Arsenal not work out?
Signed as a 19-year-old with most people having little to no knowledge about him, Marquinhos arrived in London with mixed reactions as most were unaware of what to expect. The player’s performances in the initial parts of his career drew comparisons with Gabriel Jesus, whom Marquinhos also bore physical resemblance to.
However, when he arrived, Nicolas Pepe had already plied his trade at the club for over three years and had fallen down the pecking order. Replacing him was Hale Ender Bukayo Saka, who had slowly moved up the pitch from left back and became the Gunners’ first-choice winger in 2022. Others such as Emile Smith Rowe and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang were picked in wide areas, leaving little scope for Marquinhos to be involved.
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Mikel Arteta did pick him for some cup games, but overall, the situation looked bleak, after which a loan move was put forth to the player by Arsenal, which they eventually accepted.
