Arsenal loanee Marquinhos has said his goodbyes to Fluminense, effectively confirming reports that they aren’t planning to activate their purchase clause for him.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - APRIL 09: Germán Cano of Fluminense celebrates with Marquinhos of Fluminense after scoring the team's second goal during the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024 group A match between Fluminense and Colo-Colo at Maracana Stadium on April 09, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Fluminense’s league campaign came to an end over the weekend, potentially concluding Arsenal loanee Marquinhos’ spell with the club.
Marquinhos signed on a season-long loan back in February, with the Brazilian league campaign operating on a calendar-year basis. On the surface, that meant he’d be back with Arsenal in January 2025.
But the deal included an option to buy, raising the possibility that the winger could commit his long-term future to Fluminense.
That permanent move began to look increasingly unlikely as the season went on, and reports in early December suggested Fluminense had made the decision not to buy the 21-year-old. Marquinhos has seemingly now confirmed as much with an Instagram farewell to the club.
Fluminense's forward Marquinhos celebrates after scoring during the Copa Libertadores group stage first leg football match between Brazil's Fluminense and Chile's Colo Colo at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 9, 2024. (Photo by PABLO PORCIUNCULA/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo by PABLO PORCIUNCULA/AFP via Getty Images
“A year of evolution and great personal and professional learning,” Marquinhos reflected. “It was an honor for me to wear this shirt, at Fluminense. Head on to the new challenges ahead!”
Marquinhos had been left out of Fluminense’s final three matchday squads of the season, meaning his substitute appearance against Criciuma EC on November 26th was his final showing for the club.
Things didn’t start out badly for the loanee. He went straight into their starting lineup in the league, playing all but two minutes of their first nine Serie A games following his arrival.
Even the winger’s hamstring injury in June didn’t appear to affect him too much, as he returned to the side immediately and made four starts in a row.
By the end of July, he’d made 24 appearances for the side. But unfortunately, it’s been all downhill from there.
Marquinhos with Fluminense (Photo via Marquinhos on Instagram)
Photo via Marquinhos on Instagram
Marquinhos suffered a second hamstring injury at the end of July, returning to fitness in late August. But this time around, he didn’t break back into the starting lineup.
Fluminense played 19 games after Marquinhos’ recovery. He made the squad for 15 of them, but only featured on the pitch five times.
The winger will now return to Arsenal, and he’ll be on the hunt for a new club ahead of the January transfer window.
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