(DDM) – Arsenal have intensified their long-term squad-building strategy with a decisive move for two of South America’s most promising teenagers.
The club has reportedly agreed a deal to sign Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente del Valle.
DDM gathered that both youngsters travelled to London this week to complete formal procedures that will confirm their future switch to the Premier League giants.
The move underlines Arsenal’s growing reliance on Hale End-supported development, which has already produced notable first-team contributors including Bukayo Saka, Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Max Dowman.
Arsenal management believes that maintaining a strong youth conveyor belt is central to the club’s long-term competitiveness.
The decision to secure the Quintero twins early reflects this philosophy.
Reports indicate that although the pair are only 16 and cannot be formally registered until 2027, Arsenal acted swiftly to secure their commitment before interest from competing European clubs could escalate.
The club’s recruitment department has, in the last few years, significantly expanded its scouting operations across South America.
This has already yielded success stories, with Gabriel Martinelli standing as a prime example of the benefits of early talent acquisition.
Signed from Ituano for a modest fee, Martinelli has since developed into a crucial first-team performer.
Arsenal intends to replicate similar success by identifying exceptional talent before it fully emerges on the global radar.
Independiente del Valle, current home of the Quintero brothers, is widely respected as one of South America’s most efficient youth-development institutions.
The club played a major role in shaping the early careers of several top Ecuadorian exports, including Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapié, the latter of whom has been consistently linked with Arsenal.
The Gunners’ interest in this academy pipeline is therefore part of a broader effort to forge sustained relationships with elite development centres around the world.
These moves also follow Arsenal’s recent pre-agreement for Shamrock Rovers prodigy Victor Ozhianvuna, another player expected to arrive in 2027.
This suggests that the club’s long-range recruitment blueprint prioritises acquiring highly rated teenagers years before they are ready for senior roles.
The timing aligns with mixed perceptions surrounding the current output of Arsenal’s youth teams.
While the pathway to the senior squad remains intact and promising, performances at under-18 and under-21 levels have fallen short of expectations this season.
Still, the club’s leadership believes early investment in elite prospects will ultimately secure the next generation of first-team contributors.
By locking down the Quintero twins as part of this evolving vision, Arsenal signals its determination to stay ahead of market competition and build a squad anchored in long-term planning, development stability and global scouting intelligence.