Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has expressed real excitement about the club securing teenage Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero, calling the double deal a very positive step for Arsenal’s long-term project.
Softfootball reported that the Gunners wrapped up pre-contract agreements for the 16-year-olds from Independiente del Valle, and even though they won’t arrive until August 2027, the club already sees them as key pieces for the future.
The twins can’t officially join until they turn 18 due to UK rules, but both have already made a name for themselves with Ecuador’s under-17 team.
Edwin plays mostly as a right winger, quick and direct, while Holger is more of an attacking midfielder who likes to create things in tight spaces. Scouts have been buzzing about their potential for a while now, so Arsenal moving early wasn’t exactly a surprise.
As revealed by sports expert Fabrizio Romano via his official X account, Arteta sounded genuinely pleased when speaking about them.
He said:
Arteta: To see talents like Edwin and Holger Quintero joining us is very positive. We can recruit the best talent that is out there.
We saw that as a good opportunity for us and we are ahead. I think that’s something very positive.
Arsenal will keep working closely with Independiente del Valle on the boys’ development, making sure they keep progressing until the official switch in two years. Meanwhile, the club are occupied in a quest to win the Premier League again even though they just suffered a demoralising last-gasp defeat against Aston Villa.
Reports suggest the whole package could reach around £9 million, which for two highly rated prospects is not exactly wild in today’s market.
The plan is for the Quinteros to sign five-year contracts and settle into Arsenal’s academy structure once they arrive. With young players like Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri already breaking through, the club clearly wants to build a pipeline of talent instead of waiting for stars to appear elsewhere.
The twins look like the latest big bet within that strategy, and Arsenal seem convinced they’ve picked up two future first-team players.
