Arsenal are set for one of their biggest summer transfer windows in recent memory, and new sporting director Andrea Berta has wasted absolutely no time in his attempts to transform the squad.
Arsenal recruitment plans as Berta spearheads major overhaul
Kieran Tierney is set to re-join Scottish champions Celtic and Jorginho has already reportedly agreed to sign for Flamengo before their Club World Cup campaign (Fabrizio Romano), with uncertainty also surrounding the future of star midfielder Thomas Partey as talks continue over fresh terms.
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Berta is in contact with a club official.
Nuno Tavares and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who are currently on loan deals elsewhere, are also widely expected to not have long-term futures at Arsenal, with winger Raheem Sterling and goalkeeper Neto looking set to return to their parent clubs after the Premier League season ends as well.
In response to the plethora of exits which are set to take place, which could include the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, Berta has got to work on Arsenal's summer recruitment drive.
Zinchenko-Mbeumo-Arsenal
Following Berta's arrival at N5 in late March, GiveMeSport reported that Arsenal are looking at signing a second-choice keeper, full-back, midfielder, left-winger, right-winger and striker.
Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi is set to join Arsenal this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano, so Berta already has his midfielder en route, while Arsenal are now also in "serious" talks to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko (Florian Plettenberg).
RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko before taking a penalty
It is set to be a season-defining summer for Arsenal, after they meekly surrendered this year's Premier League title to Liverpool, and we can expect Berta to spearhead a very busy transfer window at the Emirates.
An intriguing question has emerged from Brazil in the last 48 hours: where exactly does 22-year-old winger Marquinhos fit into all of this?
Cruzeiro tell Marquinhos they're sending him back to Arsenal
The Brazilian joined Cruzeiro on a season-long loan in January, which apparently includes an obligation to buy set at around £3 million, which will be triggered if he surpasses 17 appearances.
That is according to South American journalist Jorge Nicola, who told his YouTube channel that Cruzeiro have informed Marquinhos of their intent to send him back to Arsenal.
"Last week, Cruzeiro's directors contacted the player’s staff to make it very clear that we no longer count on Marquinhos and we intend to return him to Arsenal," Nicola explained.
Marquinhos-Arsenal
"The big problem is that the English club that owns the economic rights of the 22-year-old player has already stated that it will not accept the return. Arsenal, in fact, is against re-loaning the player.
"It is worth remembering that Marquinhos is on loan until December and the purchase option is very close to becoming an obligation. He has 16 appearances and if he enters the field one more time, Cruzeiro will be forced to buy him for something around €4m.
"And that is precisely why Cruzeiro decided that it will no longer use Marquinhos, a player who is not in coach Leonardo Jardim's plans. Cruzeiro tried to convince Arsenal to increase the limit of games that would make the obligation, Arsenal did not accept."
Given Arsenal's ongoing attempts to sign a new star winger, it is growing more and more unlikely that the forward can force his way back into Mikel Arteta's long-term plans.
The task for Berta is to find Marquinhos a new landing spot after Cruzeiro, with this ongoing uncertainty over his future proving a real shame, considering Arteta revealed he's actually a "popular" player at the club.