How Arsenal could line-up with Marquinhos after first summer signing announced

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Marquinhos from Sao Paolo.

The Brazilian winger becomes the Gunners’ first piece of business this summer and arrives on what football.london understands to be a five year contract for a fee believed to be in the region of £3million.

The arrival of Marquinhos will not have any impact on the rest of Arsenal’s summer transfer plans. football.london understands that the Gunners are keen to bring in a striker with Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus high on the agenda. The club are also targeting a midfielder, with Youri Tielemans of Leicester among those linked, while Bologna defender Aaron Hickey also being targeted. Meanwhile, a deal to bring goalkeeper Matt Turner to North London has also been agreed.

READ MORE: Arsenal confirm first summer transfer as Marquinhos joins from Sao Paolo

Arsenal clearly have a plan in place for the summer as they look to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad heading into next season. Marquinhos isn’t a well-known player in Europe, but even at such a young age, he’s already registered a full season under his belt. Arsenal will be hoping that he follows the same trajectory that Gabriel Martinelli did when he made a move to North London in 2019.

The Brazilian mainly operates as a winger, but he can also play through the middle. He’s left-footed and is comfortable on either wing, although his preferred role is wide on the right, so he can cut inside on his favoured foot.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a couple of ways Arsenal could line up when he’s in the team – providing they also manage to agree to a deal with Gabriel Jesus.

4-3-3 – Right Wing

Bukayo Saka has been the Gunners’ star man this campaign, as emphasised by his Premier League Player of the Season nomination, but with Arsenal entering at least the Europa League next season – possibly the Champions League – rotation is needed. Marquinhos is likely to be part of that rotation, probably instead of Nicolas Pepe, who could depart in the summer, considering he has just two years remaining on his contract.

Therefore, if he does come into the side when Arteta is rotating the team for the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, it could be for Saka on his more natural right-hand-side.

Potential line-up after rotation: Turner; Nuno Tavares, Holding, Saliba, Cedric; Elneny, Lokonga, Smith Rowe; Martinelli; Nketiah (if a new contract is agreed); Marquinhos.

4-3-3 Left Wing

Of course, he may well impress everybody and sneak his way into the immediate first-team picture. If that’s the case, you’d expect it to be either on the left-hand side – if Martinelli and Smith Rowe are out of form or injured – or tucked a little deeper in the midfield.

Possible line-up: Ramsdale; Tierney, Gabriel, White, Tomiyasu; Xhaka, Partey, Odegaard; Marquinhos, Gabriel Jesus, Saka.