Mikel Arteta says Marquinhos is ‘very popular’ at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Emmanuel Petit has warned his former club Arsenal over their plans to recall Brazilian star Marquinhos from FC Nantes in January.
The Gunners are in talks with the French side over bringing the Brazil U23 international back to the Emirates ahead of schedule.
Marquinhos, described as a ‘very popular’ player by Mikel Arteta, headed to the Ligue 1 side in August on a season-long loan but has found game time limited.
Petit has raised concerns over the 20-year-old winger as he told DAZN Bet: ‘There is no progress with Marquinhos at all.
‘Nothing, nothing happened. You know why? It’s funny because yesterday, the manager, he spoke to the press about Marquinhos. He said [they] are fed up with him.
‘This guy, as soon as he came in August, he left to play with the Brazilian team at the tournament.
‘He came back injured and then now he’s fit, he wants to play again at the Olympic tournament with his national team.
Marquinhos could be heading back to Arsenal in January (Picture: Getty)
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‘So he played only seven games, he didn’t make any impact. It’s been six months at the club, seven games in six months, and now he wants to leave and play for the national team again.
‘The manager said yesterday, ‘We are tired with him, either we keep him with us, and if we do that, we’re going to lose the player, and if we let him leave for Brazil with the national team, we’re going to lose him as well. So on both sides we are a loser. So I told him: I don’t expect anything from you, you’re free to leave, to come back to Arsenal’.
‘I don’t know what Arteta and Arsenal will want to do with him, but to be honest with you, he’s not really the player that comes in my mind to reinforce the Arsenal team.’
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‘I don’t know what Arsenal will want to do with him!’