Arteta could unearth his new ESR in Arsenal’s 19 y/o sensation who was “tearing it up”
When successful, loan periods can be a truly game-changing source of experience for young players, with Arsenal being one notable club to have benefited from the system in recent seasons.
You need only ask William Saliba and Folarin Balogun how they feel about the loan process, as both have flourished in France while on loan in Ligue 1.
Saliba was the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year in 2021/22 after signing with Lyon from Saint-Étienne. However, he had three separate loan stints across the English Channel prior to achieving this honor.
It would not be surprising if Balogun won the award this season, as the 21-year-old has been dazzling during his time at Reims, where he has scored 15 goals in 23 league appearances, a total that is equaled by Kylian Mbappe.
But there have also been successful stints closer to home, such as Emile Smith Rowe’s successful stint with Huddersfield Town in 2020/21.
The current England international was so technically proficient that his manager at the time, Danny Cowley, joked that he could “find space in a telephone box.”
Since then, Smith Rowe has gone from strength to strength, earning his Three Lions debut and scoring a career-high 11 goals last season.
He has missed a significant portion of this season due to injury, but the loan system could soon help Arsenal find their replacement for Smith Rowe. That is, in fact, Marquinhos.
Where currently is Marquinhos?
The Brazilian was granted a loan move to Norwich City in January after suffering from a lack of playing time in the first half of the season, having appeared just six times and once in the Premier League.
The 19-year-old scored and assisted on his Arsenal debut in the Europa League, but that’s as good as it gets for the youngster who was “tearing it up” in Premier League 2.
In five U21 appearances, Marquinhos scored four goals and dished out two assists, demonstrating that he was too good for academy football but perhaps not good enough for the premier league.
The winger has not played for the Canaries since signing on loan, but a new Smith Rowe could be born if he makes an impact at the end of the season.
The now 22-year-old honed his skills in the Championship, scoring twice and dishing out three assists for the Terriers.
Those aren’t exactly eye-popping numbers, but his time in Yorkshire helped him earn the coveted number 10 shirt at Arsenal and become one of the first names on the teamsheet the previous season.
The expectation is that Marquinhos, who has been compared to Martinelli due to his Brazilian roots, will use his time away to have an impact comparable to that of Smith Rowe in the coming years.
Clearly a player with a great deal of technical skill, the tricky livewire is poised to truly emerge on the scene.
Carrow Road could be the location where he accomplishes this, cementing his place in Mikel Arteta’s mind for 2023/24.
Arteta could unearth his new ESR in Arsenal’s 19 y/o sensation who was “tearing it up”
