Arsenal double transfer plan laid out as club set to confirm two deals | Football | Sport
Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero are set to join Arsenal in 2027. Although they will initially be part of the youth team, there is optimism that they will progress quickly to the first team. Both Independiente Del Valle men are tipped for promising futures, making Arsenal’s early decision unsurprising.
The Gunners have managed to develop several talents from their academy in recent years, including Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis Skelly. Max Dowman is the latest prodigy to make his mark on the senior team. However, the club is increasingly seeking foreign talent, with significant investment in South American recruitment in recent years.
The acquisition of the Quintero twins illustrates this strategy as Arsenal plan for the future as some of their attacking stars age.
The twins come from the same academy that produced Pierro Hincapie, Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez, suggesting they have a bright future ahead of them.
Although information on the duo is limited, both teenagers have represented Ecuador’s youth teams. Edwin, in particular, has caught the eye with three goals in six appearances at the South American Under-17 Championship.
The previous year, he also scored three goals as Ecuador’s U15s reached the final of the South American Championship, only to lose to Paraguay on penalties.
He has been compared to a young Neymar due to his speed and skills as a right winger who can also operate in midfield. Holger, on the other hand, prefers to play in central attacking positions.
Arsenal have already agreed a pre-agreement with another promising talent, Victor Ozhianvuna, who is set to join Shamrock Rovers in 2027, aged 18.
It has been a period of mixed fortunes for Arsenal’s youth set-up, with the under-21s currently ranked 14th in Premier League 2, while the under-19s have had a difficult time in the UEFA Youth League this season, with their recent victory over Bayern Munich being their first in a European competition after four consecutive defeats.
That 4-2 win over Bayern also marked a milestone, as Luis Munoz made history by becoming the youngest player to play in the UEFA Youth League at just 13 years old.
Dowman also scored a fantastic goal in this match, having already become the youngest player to play in the Champions League at just 15 years and 308 days old.
He also holds the record for the youngest player to start a match for Arsenal, having been named in the starting line-up for his side’s Carabao Cup match against Brighton.
However, concerns have been raised over the academy’s progression to the first team, with Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi joining Manchester United in recent years.