Arsenal have confirmed the signings of twin brothers Edwin and Holger Quintero from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle.
The 16-year-old pair can’t officially join the club until they turn 18 in August 2027, so having signed their contracts, they will now spend the next 20 months honing their game in their homeland.
The club describe their new acquisitions as “two of the most exciting young talents in South America” – so, no pressure, lads.
Edwin is left-footed and plays on the right flank. Holger is right-footed and operates as an attacking midfielder. Neither has played senior football yet, but they have been making waves at under-17 level. It’ll be interesting to see how they develop.
Unless we’re mistaken, the Quintero brothers are the first South American teenagers to be recruited since the Gunners took a punt on Brazilian Marquinhos in June 2022.
Elsewhere, the Evening Standard reports that 57-year-old Maurizio Micheli has officially joined Andrea Berta’s growing team. Linked with the move three weeks ago, the Italian is expected to have oversight of the club’s scouting operation having held a similar position at Napoli.