Following Arsenal’s announcement for the signing of Marquinhos this week, we now get to see a few more details of how the Gunners managed to complete the transfer.
The Brazilian media always made it clear it was the London side who were leading the race for the youngster, as they reached a deal with São Paulo to pay a fee instead of signing him for free at the end of his contract next month.
It turns out that at some stage, it was reported the player had a pre-agreement signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were even suing him for not sticking to his word, as instead of getting to a deal with São Paulo, they were actually working to have the winger signed as a free agent.
Now that the transfer to Arsenal is done, one of the agencies who represents the player came up to clarify that situation.
Speaking to Goal, OTB revealed that TFM tried to negotiate Marquinhos with Wolves on a free deal, and only then the Arsenal offer showed up.
“More than complying with the mere protocol of confirming the transfer already announced by the clubs and by the player himself, OTB is present for a brief account of the entire plot involving the negotiation of the athlete Marquinhos from São Paulo Futebol Clube to Arsenal, from England,” says the statement about the whole Wolves and Arsenal situation (via Goal Brasil).
“From São Paulo F.C to Wolverhampton FC. From Wolverhampton to Grasshopper FC. This was the partner’s project.
“It was then that OTB Sports, through its excellent relationship with Arsenal, brought to the athlete the important and incomparable offer of the English team, which is not only interesting from a financial point of view, but mainly, will give the boy the opportunity to develop in a team of enormous expression, in the main football league on the planet.
“In addition, of course, to effecting such an international transfer with the alignment and consent of the club that formed and holder of the player’s federative rights, São Paulo F.C, an institution with which the athlete had a valid and in force contract, and which opened the doors to Marquinhos as a child and invested time and money in his personal and professional development.”
