Shirt numbers available to Marquinhos at Arsenal

Arsenal's first signing of the summer transfer window was confirmed on Monday afternoon, as 19-year-old Marquinhos arrived at the club from Sao Paulo for a £3m fee.

The Brazilian starlet is believed to have signed a four-year deal with the option of an additional 12 months, and the Gunners paid £3m to secure his signature from his boyhood club.

Marquinhos will hope to impress manager Mikel Arteta in pre-season, but the teenager could instead be sent out on loan or ply his trade with the Gunners' Under-23 squad to gain more experience in England.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the shirt numbers that could be available to Marquinhos in North London.

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Marquinhos's fleeting appearances for Sao Paulo in 2022 saw him occupy the number 17 jersey, although that shirt is currently occupied at the Emirates by right-back Cedric Soares, whose future has been called into question on a couple of occasions.

However, Cedric is not expected to leave Arsenal this summer and should retain possession of the '17', which could see Marquinhos instead don the '47' he wore during his breakthrough season with Sao Paulo in 2021.

Typically a shirt for up-and-coming players at Arsenal, Tyreece John-Jules was last in possession of the jersey and is now back at the club after his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, but it remains to be seen if the 21-year-old has a future in North London.

The 47 shirt could therefore free up for Marquinhos, who briefly wore the number 10 jersey for Brazil's Under-16 side, but that iconic shirt has recently been handed to Emile Smith Rowe.

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Marquinhos has not represented Brazil beyond Under-17 level, during which time he wore the 21 shirt, and that number is currently up for grabs at Arsenal following Calum Chambers's exit for Aston Villa in January.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette's exits have left the number 9 and 14 shirts vacant, although Arsenal's marquee striker signing is expected to take one of those jerseys, and it is difficult to see Marquinhos being bestowed with that honour so early on.

With Marquinhos aiming to follow in Gabriel Martinelli's footsteps, his compatriot's old '35' is waiting for its next occupant after also being worn by Mohamed Elneny, Francis Coquelin and Gedion Zelalem down the years.

The '77' could potentially appeal to Marquinhos, with that shirt previously worn by Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Bukayo Saka, and Smith Rowe's old 55 shirt is also vacant for the ex-Sao Paulo youngster.