Arsenal have recalled Marquinhos, a Brazilian youth international, from his loan spell at Nantes. The 20-year-old had a limited impact at Nantes, making only seven appearances and playing just over 150 minutes in total. This was his second loan spell, as he had previously spent the second half of last season at Norwich, where he made 11 appearances in the Championship, scoring once and providing one assist. However, Marquinhos now finds himself at a crossroads in his career.

Upon returning to Arsenal, Marquinhos’ future is uncertain. No decisions have been made regarding his next steps, but it is understood that he will join Brazil’s Under-23 team for the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament, which will take place until early February. Depending on Brazil’s performance in the tournament, Marquinhos could potentially be away for the entire January transfer window.

One possibility is that Marquinhos could reintegrate into Arsenal’s youth setup and await a decision in the summer. Alternatively, if another club shows interest in him while he is playing for Brazil’s Under-23 team, a move could happen sooner. The situation remаins open and fluid.

From Arsenal’s perspective, it will be challenging for Marquinhos to secure a place in the squad, given the available options in the wide areas and the potential addition of another forward in the summer. Marquinhos still has three years remaining on his Arsenal contract, and the club will hope to see a return on their initial £3 million investment when they signed him in 2022, similar to their successful low-value deals for Auston Trusty and Matt Turner.