Fluminense is close to finalizing a loan deal for the 20-year-old striker Marquinhos from Arsenal. The player, who started his career at São Paulo, has also had stints at Norwich and Nantes. Currently on loan at Nantes, Marquinhos has attracted interest from the Brazilian club. In an interview with Victor Lessa, São Paulo reporter Gabriel Sá provided some insight into the imminent signing.
According to Sá, Marquinhos, who made his debut in 2021 under Hernán Crespo, showed great potential. He played a pivotal role in a crucial match against Racing in the Copa Libertadores, scoring a goal and providing an assist. However, he later struggled to maintain his performance level and experienced some injuries. Despite the initial hype, Marquinhos failed to live up to expectations, leading to a breakdown in contract negotiations with São Paulo. Sá believes that Marquinhos has the potential to succeed at Fluminense under the guidance of manager Diniz.
Currently representing the Brazilian U-23 team at the Pre-Olympic tournament in Venezuela, Marquinhos is set to bolster Fluminense’s attacking options for the upcoming season. The club has already made several other signings, including goalkeeper Felipe Alves, defender Antonio Carlos, midfielder Gabriel Pires, midfielder Renato Augusto, winger David Terans, and forward Douglas Costa. The potential addition of Jan Lucumí from Boca Juniors is also on the horizon.