Arsenal: Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero set to join club
Arsenal are set to sign 16-year-old Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero, with both officially joining the Gunners at the age of 18.
They are due to travel to London this week to finalize the transfer and are expected to sign five-year contracts, starting in August 2027.
Right winger Edwin has been compared to Brazilian striker Neymar by local media, with Holger – an attacking midfielder – being compared to former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara.
The players will join Ecuadorian Serie A club Independiente Del Valle, with reports suggesting the fee for the pair could reach £9million.
The Independiente academy has a history of producing talent, with Arsenal defender Piero Hincapie – who is on loan from Bayer Leverkusen but with an option to make the deal permanent – Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and Kendry Paez, worth £100 million, also coming from their youth set-up.
The deal has been in the works for over a year and is the latest step in Arsenal’s shift in strategy as they look to sign some of the best young players in the world.
The brothers are likely to join the club’s academy but, if by the time they arrive in 2027, they have developed enough to be a first-team option, they will be quickly integrated into the senior team.
Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea have enjoyed success in this area, signing a number of highly-rated young players from around the world – with Brazilian winger Estevao Willian being the latest to make a breakthrough at Stamford Bridge.