Arsenal 'open the bidding' for Brazil prodigy as Fabrizio Romano confirms player will move in January

The January transfer window is expected to be a busy time for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as he aims to bolster his squad for the second half of the season.

The Gunners are currently second in the table behind Liverpool and are hoping to go all the way in the title race after their late capitulation last term.

Arteta’s men are preparing for a busy schedule in the second half of the campaign as they also juggle the demands of European football after their progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League, while a challenging FA Cup clash against Liverpool also awaits. One area that Arsenal are keen to strengthen is their frontline and it is widely reported that the recruitment team have taken their first steps towards signing a striker in January.

FourFourTwo understands that Arsenal have set their sights on Brazilian wonderkid Marcos Leonardo and the outlet also claims that they have submitted an opening bid of around £17.2m plus add ons.

Leonardo is a talented 20-year-old striker who is currently making waves with Santos in the Brazilian top-flight. The attacker has been a first team regular for four seasons despite his age and he has a goal record of 43 strikes in 130 appearances.

The young prodigy has represented Brazil at U20 level and his performances for the youth team have caught the attention of some of the world’s biggest clubs including Newcastle United and Real Madrid.

Leonardo’s international record at youth level stands at 15 goals from 13 appearances - including five at this year’s U20 World Cup as he was awarded the Silver Boot.

The attacker is expected to leave his hometown club Santos in January 2024 after their shock relegation to the second tier of Brazilian football. 

News of his imminent departure was confirmed by distinguished football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano who told Caught Offside that contingency plans have been in place for a while.

Romano said: “Marcos Leonardo will leave Santos in 2024 for sure, there’s no doubt and it’s not even about the club’s recent relegation; they already decided that months ago.”