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Following his impressive debut for Arsenal, Marquinhos could be the solution on the wings manager Mikel Arteta has been looking for.
THE LOWDOWN: WINGER SEARCH
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta went all out in search of a winger after it became clear that Nicolas Pepe won’t be staying at the Emirates this season.
Even before the exit of the Ivorian to France, Arsenal have been linked with moves for the likes of Bayern Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby, PSV’s Cody Gakpo and Crystal Palace’s Micheal Olise.
In the final days of the window, Pedro Neto and Marco Asensio became the prominent names to be listed alongside the Gunners.
Despite all of these, a move never materialized and the North London outfit look weak on the right side of the attack.
Although Marquinhos arrived in the summer, he has been playing for the U23s, his debut on Thursday after weeks of consistent performances for the youth side could signal a turnaround for him as well as Arsenal’s right side.
THE VERDICT: A POTENTIAL SOLUTION
Marquinhos arrived at Arsenal with loads of expectations and excellent reviews from his native Brazil, but he has not had the chance to feature in the first team until Thursday night.
He grabbed the opportunity with both hands and proved to be the match winner for Mikel Arteta’s men in Zurich.
Meanwhile, it has become a tradition at the Emirates in recent seasons as cup competitions like the Europa League has provided the perfect platform for young Arsenal players to make a name for themselves.
The likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli all starred in this competition before becoming a part of the first team. And just like his predecessors, Marquinhos has already given the impression that he could make a mark in the first team as well after his fine performance against FC Zurich on Thursday.
The 19-year-old scored the opening and before returning the favour to set up Nketiah for the winner during an excellent shift in the 70 minutes he played.
Generally, it was a chance for fringe players to show what they can offer, and out of those listed for the game, it was the Brazilian who stood out.
He was able to show a glimpse of what he is made of and Arteta can be satisfied with what he saw.
The Brazilian, who was watched at the start of the season by Arteta, has been viewed as a player for the future by those at the club.
That must have prompted manager Mikel Arteta to decide to keep Marquinhos and with the current problems on the wings, he could play a part in Arsenal’s season.
