While Arsenal may not be at their scintillating best, the Gunners currently sit second in the Premier League table, just a point behind Liverpool, and they are certainly right in the mix for a first league title for two decades.
They haven’t won since a 4-3 win over Luton Town at the start of the month and have scored just once in their previous two matches.
Mikel Arteta may be able to call on Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah as options to lead the line, but if he wants to win a league title and go far in the Champions League, more firepower is clearly required.
Arsenal could sign the next Martinelli in £17m "special talent"
The young Brazilian could be exactly what the Gunners need.
ByJack Salveson HolmesDec 14, 2023
With the January transfer window fast approaching, could the Spaniard delve into the market to bolster his attacking options?
Arsenal transfer news – Marcos Leonardo
According to reports from Spain, Marcos Leonardo has been attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs on the continent, with Arsenal included.
The Gunners have reportedly made a bid of €20m (£17m) as per the report and, on the surface, this could turn out to be a shrewd investment indeed.
The likes of Manchester United and AS Roma have previously been credited with showing interest in the youngster, but with Champions League football available at the Emirates, London could be the ideal destination for the starlet.
Arteta could take full advantage of Santos being relegated for the first time in their history to secure the signing of the promising talent for a much lower fee than first anticipated.
He has never played outside his native Brazil, yet with Gabriel Martinelli, Jesus and Gabriel Magalhaes all enjoying life in north London, Leonardo could find three teammates who would help him settle in fairly easily.
Not only that, but a move for the striker would give Arteta the chance to repeat Arsenal’s Gilberto Silva masterclass from 2002.
Gilberto Silva’s Arsenal statistics
After leading the club to just their third-ever domestic double during the 2001/02 season, Arsène Wenger was aiming to further bolster his first-team squad in the hope of building a proper dynasty at the club.
The Frenchman clearly kept one eye on the 2002 FIFA World Cup that summer as Silva was an integral part of the Brazil side that claimed their fifth global crown.
A £6m move was agreed to sign him from Atletico Mineiro and he swiftly emerged as one of Wenger’s finest signings for the club.
The Premier League title eluded Arsenal during the 2002/03 season, yet the following campaign saw Silva become the beating heart of a midfield which went unbeaten in the top flight as he made 32 appearances and chipped in with eight goal contributions.
In total, the Brazilian spent six years in north London, making a total of 243 appearances under Wenger in what was the most successful era the club enjoyed since the 1930s.
50
141
6
37
149
73
64
33
35
153
243
2
127
80
His success paved the way for more Brazilians to join the Gunners and Arteta has certainly enjoyed exploring the South American market for teenage gems who could blossom once they land in England.
Leonardo has made his mark on Brazilian football and his next step will surely be a move to Europe. The question is, will Arsenal be the club that manages to sign him?
Marcos Leonardo’s statistics this season
Leonardo is one of the most in-demand players in Brazil and, despite suffering relegation, the 20-year-old still found the back of the net on 13 occasions while scoring 21 times over during the campaign and their season could have been so much worse without his goals.
The striker ranked first across the squad for goals and assists (15) in the top flight along with ranking first for shots on target per game (one) and for scoring frequency (a goal every 200 minutes), as he demonstrated his class throughout 2023.
South American football expert Nathan Joyes even lauded the youngster as a “special talent” during the summer transfer window when a few teams were showing interest.
Marcos Leonardo could fit right in at Arsenal
The Santos gem has also shone on the international stage for Brazil, emerging as one of their finest players during the U20 World Cup a few months ago.
The striker bagged five goals across five matches while creating three big chances and scoring once every 80 minutes, and it surely won't be long before he makes his senior international debut.
Jesus and Nketiah have scored six goals apiece during the current campaign and while the duo are both fighting it out for the same role, Arteta has had to rely on the likes of Bukayo Saka (eight) and Martin Odegaard (seven) for the bulk of Arsenal’s goals this season.
Leonardo certainly has the quality to arrive at the club and make a breakthrough into the starting XI. Despite only turning 20 in May, he has already made 168 senior appearances for Santos, scoring 54 goals during that time.
Arteta has a reputation for developing young talents and turning them into players who could star for the club on a regular basis and Leonardo would fit right into that category.
Martinelli arrived from Brazil and has become a mainstay on the left wing, while the likes of Nketiah, Saka and William Saliba have also become key players for the Gunners as they chase the Premier League title.
Having the chance to sign the 5 foot 8 gem for a much lower fee due to Santos’ relegation to the second tier should be all the incentive that Arteta needs as the transfer window comes into focus, and he could make a big statement of intent by securing his signature.
If the Brazilian U20 international can translate the form he has shown in South America to the Premier League, he will turn into yet another gem from a country that Arsenal has had so much success with buying players in the past.
