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June 13 (Reuters) – Arsenal said on Monday it had completed the signing of young striker Marquinhos from Brazil’s Sao Paulo on a five-year deal.
British media reported that Arsenal paid close to three million pounds ($3.65 million) for the 19-year-old.
“We are delighted to have completed the transfer. Marquinhos was a player we had been watching for a while,” Arsenal sporting director Edu said. “At 19 years old, he is still very young, so he is a player for the future.”
Marquinhos, who has represented Brazil at under-16 and under-17 levels, made 17 appearances for Sao Paulo in all competitions last season, scoring three goals.
He becomes the first signing of the summer for Mikel Arteta’s team, which finished fifth in the league last season.
(1 dollar = 0.8226 pounds)
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru. Editing in Spanish by Javier Leira)
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