How much football is enough for a 19-year-old? How much will make a new star happy? Are Europa League matchdays enough, and if not, can the risk of letting him leave be taken?
These are just some of the early season questions being asked at Arsenal as they reach an early dilemma in the market.
They have plenty of options with a fully fit squad, but keeping that team fit will be hard throughout a gruelling season in which their expectations domestically and in Europe are ever-growing. With Emile Smith Rowe's injury concerns continuing and weakness under the surface on the wings, all could change very quickly.
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The issue becomes that with one of the current attacking options, albeit rotation, in order to improve and develop Marquinhos. He still needs time to get to a Premier League standard, even as a squad player. At 19 and in a new, much more physical league, it will not be a quick route for him, but Mikel Arteta needs him as a placeholder right now at a minimum.
After receiving his first start against FC Zurich, marking it with a goal and assist, there is reason to be optimistic, especially as he has risen so quickly from being an immediate loan contender to a first-team player. Still, his long-term improvement should be a factor as to how his short-term future plays out.
As much as Arteta needs him to play a role this season, his form on the pitch for the U23 side demonstrates that he needs more first-team football. The question is will sporadic substitute appearances and cup starts be enough to get him up to the speed required of a Premier League footballer?
As the Sun reported, Edu would be willing to let him leave on loan to gain that experience, but there is still an immediate question to answer. Who will be the backup to Bukayo Saka? The 21-year-old is at the centre of contract speculation as the Gunners desperately try to agree a new deal with the player who is valued at £89m and has once again started the season well with one goal and two assists in six matches. If Arsenal are unable to progress talks, though, and interest does grow in Saka, that adds further pressure on Marquinhos to develop quickly.
Although Edu would not sanction a departure without another winger coming in, if that isn't possible due to a complex transfer market and the unknown impact of a winter World Cup, Marquinhos could remain at the club for the full campaign. It is a hypothetical situation, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. This would add great demand to his development within the squad when working off limited minutes.
The signing of Marquinhos was smart, opportunistic and could bare a lot of fruit in the future, it already is playing a part this season, but if further parts of the transfer plan don't click into place, then the foibles of relying on unproven youth as squad players could become evident for Arteta quite soon.
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