For the past few days, the Mexican media has been full of reports saying Arsenal youngster Marcelo Flores was invited to train with the Gunners’ first team.
This is the first experience the 16-year-old is getting with Mikel Arteta’s main squad, and that meant something big for the teenager.
That’s why the local press went to talk to his dad, and they ended up finding out that the player is now signing a big contract extension with the London side.
Ruben Flores explained that even though the player is under an academy contract, he’s accepted an offer for his first professional deal with the club.
“He has a contract for the next two years to play in the U18, but I already have an agreement in which he will sign a professional contract for the next five years with Arsenal,” Flores told Milenio.
“Due to UEFA and FIFA rules it cannot be done until 1st of October this year, which is when he turns 17, but we already have an agreement and an arrangement and surely on 1st of October the news will come out that a Mexican signed a professional contract with Arsenal for so many years.”
“Now nothing has been said because it will be done when he turns 17 when the presentation can be made, but we are already arranged.”
Marcelo Flores was part of Ipswich Town’s youth ranks, and joined Arsenal’s academy in the summer of 2019. He’s been featuring for the Gunners’ U18 side this season.
Speaking of his son’s future, Ruben Flores claims that he could be featuring for Arsenal’s first team in a couple of years, and takes other players from the Gunners’ academy as an example.
“Two years ago Bukayo Saka used to play where Marcelo is playing now and last year he made his debut in the European Cup and now they gave him a contract with the first team, he played all the games and is now a first team player.
“So, to put it in perspective, in two years Marcelo could be playing for Arsenal’s first team if the results come. That’s why they want to give him a professional contract. In addition, Per Mertesacker, world champion with Germany and former captain of Arsenal, is the director of the Academy and he has a lot of faith in him and he’s very excited to have Marcelo, they have treated him wonderfully and he offered him this contract for five years that we are going to sign in October.”
