In a surprising turn of events, young Brazilian attacker Marcos Leonardo was reportedly out of Arsenal’s reach during the summer transfer window. His impressive rise in his home country and at Benfica caught the attention of the Gunners, who made a bold move by submitting a £25.5m bid for the 21-year-old.
Despite Arsenal’s interest, the deal did not materialize, and Leonardo finished his first half-season in Portugal with seven goals in 14 Primeira Liga matches. Prior to joining Benfica from Santos for €18m in January, he had scored 54 goals in 168 appearances for his boyhood club.
The talented striker opened his 2024-25 season account with a goal against Moreirense on August 30, which coincidentally was the transfer deadline day in the UK. While Arsenal were reportedly considering a late approach for Leonardo, sporting director Edu was keen on the Brazilian, as per a report from TBR Football.
However, Leonardo ultimately made a surprising move to Al-Hilal after Arsenal decided not to pursue him further. Despite ongoing talks with Leonardo’s camp throughout the summer, Arsenal backed off once they learned that Al-Hilal was willing to pay €40m for his services.
The Gunners were not willing to match that figure, and Leonardo signed a five-year contract with Al-Hilal until 2029. He will join a star-studded lineup including Neymar, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo, and Kalidou Koulibaly, reportedly earning significant wages.
The decision not to sign Leonardo raises questions about Arsenal’s striking options, especially with Gabriel Jesus dealing with injuries and Eddie Nketiah leaving for Crystal Palace. Despite Kai Havertz’s promising end to the previous season, Mikel Arteta prioritized addressing other areas of the squad first.
As the new season unfolds, Arsenal fans may wonder if their team made the right choice by passing up on Leonardo, who now begins a new chapter in his career at Al-Hilal.
