Marquinhos Oliveira has joined Cruzeiro on a permanent basis, ending his largely unremarkable spell at Arsenal.
The 22-year-old winger has signed a three-year deal with the Brazilian side, with negotiations between the clubs now finalised. The move was confirmed by multiple outlets, including transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano and GOAL Brasil, though the financial details of the agreement remain undisclosed.
The deal was brokered by Pedro Junior, son of Cruzeiro’s SAF (Sociedade Anonima do Futebol) president Pedro Lourenco, with the approval of manager Leonardo Jardim, who views Marquinhos as an important part of the squad’s depth for the ongoing season.
Marquinhos had joined Cruzeiro on loan in January with a clause that would make the move permanent if he played in 60 percent of the team’s matches in the first half of the year.
Having featured in 17 of Cruzeiro’s 28 games so far, and with only two matches remaining before June 30, the club faced the possibility of being automatically obliged to pay just over €3 million to sign him. Rather than risk triggering that clause, Cruzeiro entered negotiations early to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
The former Sao Paulo talent was initially signed by Arsenal in 2022 for €3.5 million. Despite flashes of promise, he failed to secure a consistent role under Mikel Arteta and was subsequently loaned to Norwich City, Nantes, Fluminense and Cruzeiro.
Even in Brazil, his time was mixed. Marquinhos made only a handful of starts for Cruzeiro and was often used as a substitute or left out of the squad altogether — particularly during a stretch in which his appearance tally threatened to activate the purchase obligation.
He has made 772 minutes of competitive appearances this year, contributing one goal and one assist. His most recent outing came in Cruzeiro’s 3-0 win over Fortaleza on 25 May, his first match since starting in the 2-0 Copa do Brasil victory over Vila Nova on 1 May.
For Arsenal, the deal ends a project that never fully materialised. Marquinhos leaves North London having made six first-team appearances and without a clear breakthrough, while the Gunners move on with no expectation of his return.
Now permanently at Cruzeiro, Marquinhos has the chance to reset his career in a familiar environment — and finally make good on the potential that earned him a move to Europe in the first place.
