São Paulo accepted Arsenal’s offer for winger Maquinhos, according to reports from Brazil.
Outlet Globo Esporte claims the clubs agreed the deal for the sale, and the transfer should be made formal in the coming days, as soon as medicals are done and the contract is signed.
The story says Arsenal are paying €3.5m for the transfer, with the payment set to be made ‘before the end of the year’.
São Paulo are having a complicated situation with the 19-year-old. That’s because in 2019 he’d signed a five-year deal, which would run until 2024, but FIFA won’t accept it since he was underage when he signed. The limit would be a three-year commitment, which expires this summer.
The Brazilian club know they’d lose the case if Marquinhos takes legal action, and after failing to convince him of signing a new deal, they gave up and accepted to sell him before they lose him for free.
Globo Esporte says that’s why the offer from Arsenal ‘pleased’ São Paulo. They also point out the Gunners want to create a ‘similar relationship’ that the Tricolor have with Ajax, with whom they previously negotiated the moves of David Neres and Antony.
