'Quality' striker Arsenal missed out on scores on debut after £15.5m move

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Arsenal’s transfer target Marcos Leonardo scored on his debut for Benfica and received huge praise from his manager Roger Schmidt.

HITC Football had revealed that Arsenal and Tottenham missed out on the signing of Marcos Leonardo this month as the forward snubbed the North London clubs.

Instead, the 20-year-old completed a £15.5 million move to Portuguese giants Benfica signing a five-year contract that will keep him at the Estádio da Luz until the summer of 2029.

His debut for the club came on Sunday as Benfica defeated 10-man Rio Ave 4-1 at home in the Primeira Liga’s 17th round.

SL Benfica v Rio Ave FC - Liga Portugal Betclic
Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Despite conceding early in the game, goals from Angel Di Maria and Antonio Silva turned the game around before Leonardo’s introduction came shortly after the hour mark.

The Brazilian managed to score on his debut in the 80th minute from a well-placed header as former West Ham midfielder Joao Mario sealed the victory in stoppage time.

Roger Schmidt delighted with Leonardo

“I’m very happy for him. It’s a big step to come to Europe and to a big club, and to be able to score a goal on his debut, he’s happy and so are we,” Schmidt said in the press conference after the game.

“In training, he has already shown that he is a forward with a lot of quality. I felt like he was ready to play, I’m happy about that.

“He needs a few more weeks to be at his best, he comes from a vacation. He’s improving, today he gained a lot of confidence, even from the fans, which is a good sign.

“He is a player who can play alongside another striker. It is possible to play with two strikers,” he added.

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