Arsenal submit significant bid for striker Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘will leave’

Fabrizio Romano has declared a Brazilian striker will leave his current club in 2024 and a report claims Arsenal have thundered in with an enticing offer.

Brazilian football was in shock last week when Santos suffered relegation to the second tier for the first time in their 111-year history. Santos’ fate was cemented after falling in a 2-1 defeat to Fortaleza last Thursday.

Major change at the club has already taken place, with Marcelo Teixeira re-elected as president of Santos 14 years after his last stint concluded.

But according to Fabrizio Romano, there’ll be movement with regards to player personnel too.

Via Caught Offside, Romano recently confirmed 20-year-old striker Marcos Leonardo “will leave Santos in 2024 for sure”.

Given the club’s relegation and the fact the Brazilian domestic season has just concluded, a winter window exit next month may well be on the cards.

“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,” reported Romano.

“There are many links, every week Leonardo is linked with five or six clubs but it’s still at the early stages with agents meeting clubs. There’s nothing concrete or close with Arsenal so far, despite speculation.”

As Romano alluded to, Arsenal are among the host of clubs who’ve drawn links with bringing Leonardo to Europe.

Leonardo is vastly experienced despite his young age having made 168 senior appearances for Santos. The striker has plundered 54 goals over that time, with 21 of those coming in the 2023 campaign.

Leonardo has also shone for Brazil in the international arena having scored 15 goals in 13 matches at Under-20 level.

Now, a report in Spain claims Arsenal have acted on their interest in the right-footer.

Arsenal table bid; agent confirms January exit plan

Via the BBC it’s claimed the Gunners have ‘accelerated their interest and have submitted an offer of €20m (approx. £17.2m) plus bonuses’.

The alleged offer has positioned Arsenal as frontrunners to secure an agreement and if accepted, Leonardo could be an Arsenal player as early as January 1.

Italian side Roma previously saw three bids for Leonardo knocked back over the summer. The largest totalled €20m and if the new report is to be believed, Arsenal’s attempt is worth more by way of the bonuses attached.

Leonardo’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, previously explained why a summer switch did not come to pass. She also revealed why the outcome will be different next month.

“Already in the previous (summer) transfer market he had the possibility of being sold, but Santos’ sporting situation was very particular,” said Pimenta in November (as quoted by the Evening Standard).

“He agreed to stay because he wanted to help out until the end of the championship. He didn’t want to leave because it wasn’t the right thing to do.

“But the time has come to move,” concluded Pimenta. “He wants to have a European experience and his time will come this winter.”

Arsenal have found great success when buying directly from Brazil in the past. Indeed, livewire winger Gabriel Martinelli cost just £6m when plucked from Ituano back in 2018.

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