Mikel Arteta Rules Out Loan Move For Summer Signing

Mikel Arteta confirms Marquinhos will remain at the club this season…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed that summer signing Marquinhos will remain with the club this season after impressing the boss in training.

Arteta, speaking ahead of our trip to Bournemouth this Saturday, waxed lyrical on the 19-year-old after he bagged three goals in two matches for the Arsenal U21s.

Interestingly, he was absent from the latest U21s match on Wednesday, with the likes of Cedric, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira featuring.

Arteta stated that Marquinhos no longer needed to play for the development squads and praised how quickly he’s settled with the squad.

“Marquinhos has been playing with the U21s, and we didn’t believe that it was necessary for him to play again,” the Spaniard told reporters ahead of the Premier League clash at the Vitality.

“He’s adapted very well and he’s a really likeable figure in the dressing room and around Colney.

“His language is not great yet but I think his physicality has been pretty exceptional, for someone who has come from Brazil and has a different way to train and play, but he’s done it. 

“I think he’s got the qualities for how we want to play. We will keep him here for another few months and makes sure that he establishes himself at the club and in the team, and afterwards we’ll see what the best movement for his career,” Arteta added.

It’s been widely reported that the club are looking to sign a winger, especially if Nicolas Pepe departs before the window slams shut.

We publicly pursued Raphinha before he went to Barcelona, and that was despite the earlier arrival of Marquinhos. While the teenager looks set to stay, Arteta should still be looking for a senior option in that position.