Arsenal have agreed personal terms with 19-year-old winger Marquinhos, as they look to exploit his unusual contract situation at Sao Paulo.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Marquinhos of Sao Paulo controls the ball during the match between Sao Paulo and Santos as part of Brasileirao Series A 2022 at Morumbi Stadium on May 02, 2022. (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Marquinhos of Sao Paulo controls the ball during the match between Sao Paulo and Santos as part of Brasileirao Series A 2022 at Morumbi Stadium on May 02, 2022. (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)

Jorge Nicola reports that Arsenal have made a proposal to 19-year-old Marquinhos of Sao Paulo, and they’ve even agreed on a salary and contract length with him.

Arsenal are reportedly willing to spend €3m to bring the player to North London, and Sao Paulo president Julio Casares is trying to negotiate a sell-on clause.

Under normal circumstances, those in Brazil believe Marquinhos would be worth much more than €3m. Nicola claims the player should be worth at least five times that amount. But his contract situation is complicated.

When Marquinhos signed his first professional deal in 2019, he agreed a five-year deal with Sao Paulo.

That length of contract is allowed by the Brazilian Football Confederation, but FIFA do not recognise first professional contracts longer than three years.

That’s why Arsenal have had to extend deals with players like Bukayo Saka so soon after their first-team breakthrough.

It’s not that the Gunners didn’t want Saka under contract for longer, they just weren’t allowed to hand him a five-year deal in 2018. Instead, they had to give him a three-year deal to 2021 and then extend it later – as they did in 2020.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Marquinhos of Sao Paulo and Marcos Rocha of Sao Paulo fight for the ball during a match between Palmeiras and Sao Paulo as part of Brasileirao Series A 2021 at Allianz Parque on November 17, 2021. (Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)
SAO PAULO, BRAZIL: Marquinhos of Sao Paulo and Marcos Rocha of Sao Paulo fight for the ball during a match between Palmeiras and Sao Paulo as part of Brasileirao Series A 2021 at Allianz Parque on November 17, 2021. (Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)

So according to FIFA, Marquinhos is out of contract this summer, and Sao Paulo have been unable to convince him to extend.

That leads to a strange situation where the young winger is technically under contract according to his local federation, but that contract wouldn’t hold up if put to FIFA. The simplest solution for Sao Paulo is to sell cheap.

Arsenal are clearly trying to take advantage and bring in a player who has already made well over 30 senior appearances at the age of 19.

A left-footed right-winger, you’d imagine Marquinhos would initially go out on loan if he signed, to ensure Saka doesn’t block him from regular senior football.