30 January 2023 , 23:04
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Arsenal winger Marquinhos is on the verge of joining Championship outfit Norwich City on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
The young Brazilian enjoyed a bright start to his Gunners career, netting a goal on his debut against FC Zurich in the Europa League group stage back in September of last year. However, things have failed to play out as many expected after that first stellar showing and Marquinhos will now have to drop down a division for sufficient game time.
After his debut, the praise flooded in, with Gunners legend Martin Keown comparing the winger to fellow young Arsenal star Buyako Saka. Speaking ahead of another one of the club's Europa League group games, Keown told BT Sport : “Marquinhos is not playing tonight but he played in that very first game in Europe exceptionally well.
"It was like Saka in that position, it’s almost a copycat performance. That’s what you’re really looking for. He’s got a huge future ahead of him. That’s a real opportunity now ahead of him. Saka is only a couple of years older himself, but such is the quality he’s going to get chances."
Keown wasn't the only one to wax lyrical over the teenage winger, with team-mate Granit Xhaka also lauding the Brazilian.
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First-team regular Xhaka backed Marquinhos to mirror the kind of rise to stardom his fellow countryman Gabriel Martinelli enjoyed when he first arrived at the club.
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Marquinhos has made six appearances for the Gunners this term (Getty Images)Xhaka made the assessment shortly after the 19-year-old joined Arsenal from Sao Paulo, "He reminds me of Gabi Martinelli when he first came, the midfielder told Arsenal's match day programme.
"Everyone was saying, 'yeah, he will go to the Under-23s first' and stuff like this, but how Gabi adapted at this level was unbelievable, and I have the same feeling with Marquinhos as well.
"For his age, he is very developed physically, very fast, good left foot. Of course, he needs to adapt to this level first, this country as well, but I see a big future for this guy."
Unfortunately for Marquinhos, he hasn't quite managed Martinelli's achievement of cementing a place in the first-team without going on loan first.
With Arsenal signing Leandro Trossard from Brighton this month, £3million-man Marquinhos has fallen further down the pecking order of Gunners attackers and would be unlikely to develop much in the second-half of the season if he were to stay in North London.
The Brazilian may not be the only Gunners departure late in the window, with Cedric Soares' loan move to Fulham still hanging in the balance ahead of Tuesday's deadline.